VTDigger and the University of Vermont’s Center for Community News (CCN) jointly announced on Tuesday, May 7 the hire of New York Times climate journalist Austyn Gaffney. 

“The partnership marks a strategic effort to enhance statewide climate coverage while mentoring the next generation of Vermont-based journalists,” a VT Digger statement says. 

Gaffney, a 2024–2025 New York Times climate desk fellow, has reported on federal environmental policy, sea level rise, and extreme weather for the NYT and other major outlets. Her investigative work has earned national recognition, including the prestigious Sidney Award from the Sidney Hillman Foundation.

“Climate change is increasingly affecting many aspects of our lives here in Vermont — from farming, to health, to economy and housing,” said VTDigger CEO Sky Barsch. “Austyn brings a deep understanding of environmental issues to this role, and Vermonters will be well-served by the stories she uncovers and explains through her reporting.”

The partnership reflects a shared mission between VTDigger and UVM: to bolster Vermont’s local news landscape through collaboration, shared resources, and student engagement. Gaffney will lead a team of UVM student reporters as they investigate climate and environmental stories affecting communities across the state.

“This initiative is an opportunity for UVM to deliver on its land grant mission by expanding collaboration with trusted institutions like VTDigger and serving communities across Vermont,” said William Falls, Dean of the UVM College of Arts and Sciences. “We are thrilled to have Austyn leading a cohort of student reporters.”

The Center for Community News is a national leader in university-led journalism partnerships, and its Community News Service (CNS) places more than 150 UVM students each year with local news outlets across Vermont. CCN Executive Director Richard Watts highlighted the timeliness of the hire.

The initiative is made possible through a generous gift from the Canaday Family Charitable Trust, with additional support from the UVM College of Arts and Sciences; donors David Blittersdorf, Mathew Rubin, and Kathryn Stearns; and VTDigger’s sustaining members.

Gaffney’s portfolio includes bylines in National Geographic, The Guardian, Grist, High Country News, Rolling Stone, and Sierra, among others. She holds an MFA in creative nonfiction from the University of Kentucky and has received numerous accolades for her investigative and literary work. More about her journalism can be found at www.austyngaffney.com.

Before becoming a freelance writer, the Ontario, Canada native raised in Kentucky was an outdoor educator, a tour guide through national parks, an apprentice for vegetable and flower farms, a grocer, a florist, and a bartender, she said on her website. 

Much of this article is sourced from a VTDigger press release.