Mission, vision and about us
Mission
To provide Southern Arizona with robust, community-based journalism emphasizing solutions, local governments, education, sustainability, social services and politics, and issues through the lens of the Hispanic community.
Vision
To spotlight undercovered topics and communities, providing Southern Arizonans the tools they need to seek solutions while amplifying the voices of new, emerging and diverse journalists.
About us
Tucsonspotlight.org is a nonprofit newsroom highlighting Southern Arizona solutions, government, sustainability, social services and politics, plus covering issues through the lens of the Hispanic community. Its founders, Caitlin Schmidt and Susan Barnett, are long-time Tucsonans who believe in the value of locally owned and reported news. Tucson Spotlight provides opportunities for journalism students and new graduates to gain experience and showcase their work. We release a daily newsletter and update our website with new stories Monday through Friday.
Founders
Caitlin Schmidt has lived in Tucson for 20 years and spent a decade reporting for the Arizona Daily Star before co-founding the Tucson Agenda. She’s an adjunct instructor at the University of Arizona School of Journalism and sits on the boards of several professional organizations. Susan Barnett is a native Tucsonan who previously worked for La Estrella de Tucson, the Arizona Daily Star’s Spanish-language publication, and the Tucson Agenda. She’s pursuing a master’s degree in bilingual journalism and has worked as a talk show host and digital producer at various local outlets.
Ethics policy
Tucson Spotlight follows the Society of Professional Journalists’ Code of Ethics. We seek truth and report it, strive to minimize harm, act independently and hold ourselves to high standards of accountability and transparency.
Contact us
Contact Caitlin at caitlin@tucsonspotlight.org with questions, suggestions and concerns.
Editor and Publisher Caitlin Schmidt and Deputy Editor Susan Barnett.
Caitlin Schmidt is Editor and Publisher of Tucson Spotlight. She previously worked for the Arizona Daily Star and has been reporting on Southern Arizona for a decade.
Susan Barnett is Spotlight's Deputy Editor and a graduate student at the University of Arizona. She previously worked for La Estrella de Tucson.
Spotlight reporters Angelina Maynes and Isabela Gamez.
Angelina Maynes is a journalism major at the UA and reporter with Spotlight.
Isabela Gamez is a recent graduate of the UA School of Journalism and Spotlight reporter.
Spotlight interns McKenna Manzo, Lauryn Abozeid and Abbie Andrus.
McKenna Manzo is double majoring in journalism and anthropology at the UA and interning with Spotlight.
Lauryn Abozeid is a journalism major at the UA and intern with Spotlight.
Abbie Andrus is a UA journalism major and Spotlight intern.
Spotlight interns Olivia Krupp and Samantha Callicutt.
Olivia Krupp is a journalism major at the UA and Spotlight intern.
Samantha Callicutt is a graduate student in the UA School of Journalism and Spotlight intern.