The Texas Tribune is excited to announce the addition of five exceptional college students and one recent graduate to its team this fall, coinciding with a significant midterm election cycle and the upcoming Texas Tribune Festival, the organization’s flagship event focusing on politics and policy.
The Tribune’s fellowship program, which runs three times a year, provides aspiring professionals with paid positions across various departments. These fellows gain hands-on experience by covering important stories from Texas, documenting the experiences of local officials and residents, promoting journalistic efforts, and expanding the reach of the newsroom. We are thrilled to welcome these talented individuals to our organization.
Introducing the New Fellows
Sasha Draeger-Mazer joins as a reporting fellow based in Austin. Originally from Montana, she is a senior at Northwestern University studying journalism and political science. Sasha has held editorial roles at The Daily Northwestern and reported on national security for Medill News Service. Most recently, she contributed to Bloomberg News, focusing on global business from Berlin, where her proficiency in German was an asset.
Will Hammann takes on the role of Washington reporting fellow. He previously reported on Maryland’s state prisons, justice issues, and campaign finance during the state’s primary elections for Maryland Matters, a States Newsroom outlet. Will has also covered Maryland’s congressional delegation for Capital News Service and local news for the Greenbelt News Review. A native of Ashburn, Virginia, he initially pursued saxophone performance before shifting to journalism at the University of Maryland, where he serves as an assistant managing editor for The Diamondback. He is also fluent in Spanish.
Zach Leggio, based in Austin, is another reporting fellow. A recent graduate from the University of Georgia, where he majored in journalism and international affairs, Zach has worked with various student publications, including The Red & Black, where he held multiple editorial positions. His experience includes internships at the Oglethorpe Echo, the U.S. Senate, and the Investigative Reporting Workshop in Washington, D.C.
Jacob Lujan serves as the photography fellow. He has previously worked as a visuals intern at the Houston Chronicle and was the editor-in-chief of The Daily Toreador at Texas Tech University. Jacob, hailing from Corpus Christi, is currently pursuing a master’s degree in communications at Texas Tech.
Valeria Mota, our marketing and communications fellow, is based in Austin. Growing up in Monterrey, Mexico, she is fluent in Spanish and is entering her senior year at The University of Texas at Austin, where she is majoring in marketing with a minor in journalism. Valeria is the editor-in-chief of Afterglow ATX, a student-run music publication, where she has led a team of over 90 members and covered major music festivals like SXSW and ACL. Her previous roles include serving as social media editor at The Daily Texan and interning with The Team’s brand partnerships team and the Long Center for the Performing Arts.
Laura Rivera-Ramos is our audience engagement fellow, also based in Austin. A senior studying journalism and government at the University of Texas at Austin, Laura has worked as an editorial intern at The Austin Chronicle, served as an associate news editor for The Daily Texan, and created social media content for the Austin Current. She is fluent in Spanish and enjoys exploring local coffee shops in her spare time.
The Texas Tribune Festival is set to take place from September 24-26 in downtown Austin. This event will showcase transformative ideas and foster accountability, providing attendees with the opportunity to engage with influential topics and leave inspired and informed.
