Need a speaker, panelist, facilitator or moderator?

The Carolina Public Press Speakers Bureau

The Carolina Public Press team possesses experience and knowledge in a variety of areas including topical issues such as public lands, sexual assault and prisons; industry-specific topics related to nonprofit journalism, news-based community engagement, and investigative reporting; journalism-specific skill development; North Carolina issues and news ecosystem; and more. Members are available for virtual and in-person events, group meetings, conferences, panels and classes of all sizes and types. We also have experience in moderating panel discussions and debates, offering presentations and facilitating group meetings and listening sessions.

See below for available members, suggested topics and examples of appearances, panel presentations and more. Carolina Public Press is a nonpartisan 501(c)(3) nonprofit news organization and relies upon the support of individual donors, foundations and sponsors/underwriters to operate.

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Jack Igelman

Lead Environment Reporter

Contributor Jack Igelman has covered top environmental issues for Carolina Public Press for nearly a decade, including the pending forest management plan from the U.S. Forest Service for many years, development, coastal health, and the connections between the environment and the economy.

Jack holds a graduate certificate from the UNC School of Media and Journalism, and he received the Best Feature Reporting and News Feature Writing Award from the North Carolina Press Association in 2018. Co-author of Trekking the Southern Appalachians and currently teaching college-level economics, Jack’s reporting has appeared in dozens of local, regional and national publications. He lives in Buncombe County.

Suggested topics for Jack Igelman:

  • Environmental issues in North Carolina, including climate change
  • Public lands: culture, economy and environment
  • Environment and the economy
  • Environmental journalism in North Carolina
  • Trends in the outdoors, including hiking and cycling

Selected publications and appearances:

Suggested topics for Mehr Sher:

  • Democracy and Governance: Explore democratic systems in diverse regions.
  • Refugee and Migration Studies: Delve into global migration and refugee rights.
  • Criminal Justice Reporting: Investigate issues like prison reform and judicial bias.
  • International Journalism: Study the ethics and challenges of reporting in politically unstable regions.
  • Healthcare Reporting: Examine healthcare disparities and epidemic responses.
  • Investigative Techniques: Stay updated with the latest tools in investigative reporting.
  • Human Rights and Advocacy: Focus on human rights issues and journalism advocacy.
  • Cross-Cultural Communication: Train in communicating across diverse cultures.

Selected publications and appearances:

Mehr Sher

Democracy Reporter

Mehr Sher reports on democracy in North Carolina for the Carolina Public Press. She graduated from Columbia Journalism School with a master’s degree in investigative journalism. During her master’s program, she reported on the Afghan refugee resettlement program and investigated hate crime legislation in Indiana. Sher graduated from N.C. State University in 2015 and began her journalism career abroad in Pakistan, where she was based for over six years. During her career abroad, she investigated systemic failure, an inadequate health care system and a cover up, which led to the exacerbation of an HIV/AIDs outbreak in over 1,000 children in Sindh, Pakistan. Sher is from Raleigh and is an ethnic Pashtun with roots in northwestern Pakistan.

Lindsey Wilson

Rural Engagement Manager

Lindsey comes to Carolina Public Press with experience in a variety of experience as a community organizer, research facilitator and environmental educator. Her work on small-scale produce farms in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and North Carolina has given her a deep interest in issues facing rural people. Lindsey has a dual major in anthropology/sociology and creative writing from Kalamazoo College. She lives in Buncombe County. 

Suggested topics for Lindsey Wilson:

  • Facilitating group listening sessions
  • Designing an outreach program 
  • Rural engagement methods
  • Connecting with rural audiences
  • The lack of reliable internet in rural N.C. and its effect on news consumption and community engagement

Projects and programs:

Contact: lwilson[at]carolinapublicpress.org

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