Sarah Devin Kaufman
Los Angeles,CA
Summary
Collaborative reporter, researcher, and editor who uses detail-oriented accuracy to reveal harmful misinformation, injustices, and to hold power to account.
Overview
13
13
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Social Newsgathering Reporter
NBC News
12.2019 - 12.2023
- Verified UGC of breaking news with visual investigations by cross referencing public records and other open source information on social media.
- Collaborated with other NBC News teams, including Engel's investigative unit, on long-term stories on the war in Ukraine.
- Achieved recognition for exceptional reporting efforts through Emmy award for outstanding breaking news reporter on Jan. 6 rioting at The Capitol.
- Participated in conferences as a representative of the publication, fostering positive relationships and spreading knowledge of misinformation.
Senior Associate
Dataminr
03.2017 - 12.2019
- Alerted clients to average of 500 notifications daily of breaking UGC on social media platforms including VKontakte, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Telegram to alert clients to breaking information.
- Mentored several junior Eastern European desk associates on research projects and newsworthiness of breaking UGC.
- Conducted in-depth research on Eastern European social media to inform decision-making processes and support strategic planning initiatives for Eastern European desk.
Breaking News Reporter
Patch Media
06.2016 - 02.2017
- Pitched, wrote, and edited at least 5 articles daily on tenant rights in public housing in Lower Manhattan and Brooklyn
- Mastered Lexis-Nexis, PACER, and other public records databases
- Established credibility with sources by building strong relationships, resulting in exclusive interviews and scoops.
Breaking News Reporter
Vocativ
08.2014 - 04.2016
- Received Newswomen’s Club of New York Front Page Award for exclusive interview with mother of Boston Marathon bombers through WhatsApp
- Wrote three breaking stories daily with data and social media angles customized for Vocativ readership
- Investigated misinformation spread on social media platforms i.e Telegram VKontakte, and Odnoklassniki.
Case Manager and Translator
Center for Domestic Violence Against Women
09.2010 - 05.2011
- Supervised domestic violence hotline for Russian women in crisis
- Translated cases for the European Court of Human Rights from Russian to English.
Education
MSJ in Journalism - Journalism, investigations and longform collaborations
Northwestern University
Chicago, IL01.2013
Bachelor of Arts - Russian Studies
Bryn Mawr College
Bryn Mawr, PA05.2010
ACTR Russian Flagship Program -
St. Petersburg State
University
ACTR Study Abroad -
Herzen University
Skills
- Visual verification and investigations
- Fact-checking and open source research
- Investigative reporting and public records research
- Fluent in Russian, intermediate in Ukrainian
- Data verification and analysis
- Cultural awareness and collaborative nature
Accomplishments
Won Emmy as breaking news reporter in 2011-2022 for Outstanding live breaking news coverage of January 6 attack on the Capitol
Represented NBC News Social Newsgathering Team by presenting on panel about reporting breaking news UGC of mass shootings at the Asian American Journalists Association conference in Los Angeles, CA, 2022
Affiliations
- Investigative Reporters and Editors
Certification
Achieved Third Level Certificate in Russian language fluency (TORFL-III / C1)
Completed Managing Risk in the Information Age, Harvard University online course, September 2018
Languages
Russian
Full Professional
Ukrainian
Professional Working
Spanish
Limited Working
Timeline
Social Newsgathering Reporter
NBC News
12.2019 - 12.2023
Senior Associate
Dataminr
03.2017 - 12.2019
Breaking News Reporter
Patch Media
06.2016 - 02.2017
Breaking News Reporter
Vocativ
08.2014 - 04.2016
Case Manager and Translator
Center for Domestic Violence Against Women
09.2010 - 05.2011
MSJ in Journalism - Journalism, investigations and longform collaborations
Northwestern University
Bachelor of Arts - Russian Studies
Bryn Mawr College
ACTR Russian Flagship Program -
St. Petersburg State
University
ACTR Study Abroad -
Herzen University
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