Zara OConnell

Zara O'Connell is a Senior Data Journalist with 14 years of experience at the forefront of data-driven investigative reporting. She holds a Master's degree in Computational Journalism from Northwestern University, building upon her undergraduate studies in Statistics and Political Science at the University of California, Berkeley. Currently, Zara leads the innovative Data Insights Unit at Veritas News Group, a role that allows her to combine her analytical rigor with a deep commitment to public accountability. Her primary focus is on dissecting large, often opaque, public datasets to reveal systemic inequalities and inform public discourse. Zara's professional philosophy centers on the belief that data, when properly contextualized and visualized, can be a powerful tool for transparency and social change. Her groundbreaking series, "The Unseen Divide," which meticulously exposed disparities in urban infrastructure spending across several major cities, earned her recognition as a finalist for the prestigious Livingston Award for Young Journalists. Readers can expect her articles to be meticulously researched, visually compelling, and deeply insightful, transforming complex data into clear, actionable narratives that shed light on critical societal issues