Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Awards
Languages
Timeline
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JULIE WATSON

CA

Summary

Manage more than a dozen journalists, both text and videographers, in a high-paced environment, to produce both breaking news stories and investigative projects along with narrative and visual storytelling.

Overview

34
34
years of professional experience

Work History

California News Manager

The Associated Press
07.2023 - Current
  • Job combines reporting and managing more than a dozen text/video journalists
  • I work closely with journalists to shape stories. Our collaboration has deepened accountability reporting and raised awareness and amplified diverse voices by using multi-format journalism.

Immigration/Border/Military Affairs Reporter

The Associated Press
04.2010 - 07.2023

Pulitzer finalist for immigration coverage, including story tied to series about children being separated from their parents at the U.S.-Mexico border under the Trump administration. Revealed problems in US government migrant shelters, inaction regarding sexual assaults in the military and the long-term damage of 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' policy that barred openly gay service members.

Acting Bureau Chief

The Associated Press
01.2009 - 01.2010

Oversaw a staff of nearly two dozen journalists, including stringers from Mexico to Panama. We produced award-winning coverage for our series highlighting the failings of the US-Mexico drug war. We also dominated coverage of the 2009 Honduran coup.

Correspondent

The Associated Press
01.2005 - 01.2009

International Desk Editor

The Associated Press
01.2002 - 01.2005

Opened AP office

The Associated Press
01.2001 - 01.2003
  • Opened AP office to cover Mexican side of US border

Local reporter

The Associated Press
01.2000 - 01.2001

Institutional Development Coordinator

Sin Fronteras, A.C.
01.1998 - 01.2000
  • Company Overview: U.N.-funded nonprofit organization aiding refugees and Central American migrants in Mexico
  • U.N.-funded nonprofit organization aiding refugees and Central American migrants in Mexico

Desk Editor

NBC News
01.1998 - 12.1998

Freelance Journalist

Freelance Journalist
01.1995 - 12.1997
  • From Mexico and Ecuador for The Miami Herald, The San Francisco Chronicle, The Dallas Morning News, Latin Trade, U.S.-Mexico Business, Latin CEO and The World Bank

McAllen (Texas) Monitor
01.1993 - 12.1996

Las Cruces (New Mexico) Sun-News
01.1991 - 12.1993

Education

B.A. - journalism

University of Colorado
05.1990

Skills

    Visual storytelling

  • Breaking News Coverage
  • Diversity and Inclusion
  • Staff Development
  • Recruitment and hiring
  • Training and mentoring

Awards

  • Finalist for the Pulitzer Prize, 2019, In national reporting for story on a Honduran baby being separated from his father as part of the AP series, Torn Apart: Immigration in the Era of Trump
  • Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Award, 2019, For story on Honduran baby
  • Hal Boyle Award, 2022, For the Overseas Press Club for story in AP’s 'Outsourcing Migrants' package
  • Bernard Hurwitz Award, 2018, For coverage showing the impact of the Trump administration’s immigration policies, particularly on children and families

Languages

Spanish
Native or Bilingual

Timeline

California News Manager

The Associated Press
07.2023 - Current

Immigration/Border/Military Affairs Reporter

The Associated Press
04.2010 - 07.2023

Acting Bureau Chief

The Associated Press
01.2009 - 01.2010

Correspondent

The Associated Press
01.2005 - 01.2009

International Desk Editor

The Associated Press
01.2002 - 01.2005

Opened AP office

The Associated Press
01.2001 - 01.2003

Local reporter

The Associated Press
01.2000 - 01.2001

Institutional Development Coordinator

Sin Fronteras, A.C.
01.1998 - 01.2000

Desk Editor

NBC News
01.1998 - 12.1998

Freelance Journalist

Freelance Journalist
01.1995 - 12.1997

McAllen (Texas) Monitor
01.1993 - 12.1996

Las Cruces (New Mexico) Sun-News
01.1991 - 12.1993

B.A. - journalism

University of Colorado
JULIE WATSON