SCOTT SCHWEBKE
Parker,CO
Summary
Accomplished, nationally recognized investigative reporter specializing in accountability journalism that exposes systemic failures and drives change. Expert in developing key sources, analyzing complex data, and crafting compelling narratives for diverse digital audiences. Delivers enterprise reporting across various timelines, from rapid accountability pieces to extensive investigations, within collaborative newsroom settings.
Overview
21
21
years of professional experience
Work History
Investigative Reporter
Orange County Register / Southern California News Group
07.2013 - 09.2025
- Led high-impact investigative projects published across a network of 11 daily newspapers, reaching broad regional and national audiences.
- Contributed reporting to Southern California News Group’s Pulitzer Prize finalist coverage (Breaking News, 2025) for the Eaton and Palisades wildfires, including stories on survivors and recovery efforts.
- Conceived, reported, and delivered enterprise and investigative stories ranging from rapid-turn accountability pieces to multi-year projects.
- Managed investigations end-to-end, from idea generation and reporting through publication and follow-up coverage.
- Produced work that influenced policy changes, triggered government investigations, and prompted leadership resignations.
- Developed trust with reluctant and high-risk sources, producing exclusive reporting on sensitive issues.
- Broke accountability angles on major news developments, translating complex events into clear, timely reporting.
- Built and maintained deep source networks, including whistleblowers, attorneys, law enforcement officials, and institutional insiders.
- Built and analyzed datasets from court filings, public records, and internal documents to uncover systemic patterns and institutional failures.
- Collaborated with editors and newsroom teams to shape stories for digital audiences and maximize reach and engagement.
- Balanced multiple reporting tracks simultaneously, delivering both quick-turn stories and long-term projects under deadline pressure.
Reporter (Breaking News, Courts, Government)
Standard-Examiner
01.2005 - 07.2013
- Covered crime, courts, and government with a focus on accuracy, speed, and accountability.
- Reported breaking news under tight deadlines while developing deeper enterprise angles.
- Reconstructed complex events through interviews, records, and multi-source verification.
- Covered state government and legislation, building foundational expertise in public records and policy reporting.
- Produced clear, engaging stories for print and digital audiences.
Education
B.A. - Communications
Brigham Young University
Provo, UtahSkills
- Investigative reporting
- Investigative accountability journalism
- Source development (whistleblowers, officials, vulnerable populations)
- Public records & data analysis (court filings, internal documents, datasets)
- Fact-checking expertise
- Storytelling for national and local readerships
- Multimedia storytelling
- Data visualization techniques
- Cross-team collaboration (editors, visuals, data journalists)
- Project management (short- and long-term investigations)
- Legal research
Projects
Bad Apples- Multi-year investigation into decades of sexual abuse and institutional cover-up within a major school district; findings validated by a federal investigation.,
Rehab Riviera- Exposed widespread fraud, corruption, and patient exploitation in Southern California’s addiction treatment industry; prompted multiple state legislative reforms.
UCLA Physician Misconduct - Two-year investigation uncovering misconduct and improper payments involving a prominent surgeon; led to the resignation of a top medical official.,
Los Angeles DA #MeToo - Revealed systemic sexual harassment and retaliation within the nation’s largest prosecutor’s office.
Work History
01-2013
AWARDS
50+ state, regional, and national journalism awards, 20+ first-place honors for investigative and public-service reporting, Multiple first-place awards from the Los Angeles Press Club and California News Publishers Association
ADDITIONAL EXPERIENCE
Mentor, Report for America — Coached early-career reporters in investigative techniques, interviewing, and source development
Timeline
Investigative Reporter
Orange County Register / Southern California News Group
07.2013 - 09.2025
Reporter (Breaking News, Courts, Government)
Standard-Examiner
01.2005 - 07.2013
B.A. - Communications
Brigham Young University