Hello, I'm Trevor.
I'm a FullStack Developer,
Investigative Reporter &
Data Visualizer
Blending modern web development skills with insights I’ve cultivated from more than a decade’s worth of experience as an award-winning investigative reporter, I tell compelling stories and build powerful applications for the web. Let's connect and start building.
Hello, I'm Trevor.
I'm a FullStack Developer,
Investigative Reporter &
Data Visualizer
Blending modern web development skills with insights I’ve cultivated from more than a decade’s worth of experience as an award-winning investigative reporter, I tell compelling stories and build powerful applications for the web. Let's connect and start building.
Code
From Copy to Code
After a decade and a half in journalism, feeling the burnout that many experienced as of late, I took a leap in 2022. I left the job I'd held for the last seven years and enrolled in the University of Oklahoma's Outreach Web Development Bootcamp in 2022.
Despite the challenges, I fell in love with programming. And since earning my certificate from the FullStack Academy-led course, I've been building up my skills, doing freelance work and seeing what I can build next.
Tech Stack and Skills
I specialize in a tech stack that features JavaScript, Node.js, React, Next.js, PostgreSQL and Tailwind CSS.
JavaScript
Node.js
React
Next.js
Tailwind CSS
PostgreSQL
Framer
Chart.js
Bootstrap
Material-UI
Semantic UI React
Axios
I also have experience using JS libraries that include Framer Motion, Chart.js, React Bootstrap, MUI, Semantic UI and Axios.
Projects and Freelance Work
I specialize in building responsive, dynamic websites that focus on clean UI and UX. As a journalist, I found that a good site should be consistent, clear and able to attract and retain users' attention in an increasingly busy digital landscape.
In addition to fetching, sorting, and presenting data and information with the use of databases and API endpoints, here is a sample of the projects I have built in 2023.
Keith Brown DDS
A Next.js storefront for a dentist. Features include about, financing, location, FAQ, services, and appointment booking.
DentalGPT
An AI-powered application that uses Chat-GTP's API to answer dental care questions, with guardrails for topic relevance.
Campaign Finance Visualizer
A tool for visualizing campaign finance data using Chart.js. Allows detailed views of FEC data and tracks election cycle funds.
Journalism
Award-Winning Investigative Journalism
With nearly two decades of experience as a reporter, I've covered politics, crime, the military, health policies and more. Most recently, as an investigative journalist at Oklahoma Watch, an award-winning non-profit newsroom, my reach extended to thousands through a weekly newsletter, regular podcast, radio and TV appearances and reprints in state newspapers, including the Oklahoman and Tulsa World."
In the past few years, I won the Oklahoma Society of Professional Journalists' Reporter of the Year award in 2020, The Great Plains Journalism Awards' Writer of the Year in 2021 and Oklahoma SPJʼs first place awards in 2022 for In-depth Enterprise and Investigative Reporting and Government Reporting.
Education and Work History
Indiana University
Graduated with Bachelor of Arts degrees in Journalism and Political Science, and served as the Editor-in-Chief of the Indiana Daily Student, in addition to holding several other key editorial and reporting positions.
Indianapolis Star
Earned the national Pulliam Fellowship to work at the Indianapolis Star immediately after college.
Staunton News Leader
Wrote for this Gannett-owned daily newspaper covering city and county governments in Staunton, Virginia.
Community Newspaper Holding Inc. (CNHI)
Served as the State Capitol Reporter for 14 newspapers throughout Oklahoma in the CNHI newspaper chain.
Wyoming Tribune Eagle
Worked as the state government and military beat reporter for this daily newspaper in Cheyenne, Wyoming.
Oklahoma Watch
Served as the Capitol and Democracy beat reporter for this non-profit investigative news group.
University of Oklahoma Outreach Coding Bootcamp
Graduated in late 2022 with a certificate in web development.
Selected Articles
As a data-driven investigative reporter for more than 15 years, I have written hundreds, if not thousands, of articles about politics, government corruption or inefficiencies and stories that matter to the community.
I pride myself on well-researched, well-sourced articles that explain, reveal or uncover something that would otherwise remain hidden. Here are some of my top work in the past years.
The Misinformation Election: Lies, Conspiracy Theories Prominent in Many GOP Races
By Trevor Brown
Published: June 6, 2022
PRYOR — Devon Garly spoke up about halfway through Jackson Lahmeyer’s speech.
Twenty Years After It Became a Crime, Racial Profiling Charges Remain Scarce
By Trevor Brown
Published: June 2, 2020
Friday will mark the 20th anniversary of the passage of a state law that for the first time explicitly banned racial profiling by law enforcement agencies.
Oklahoma Hospitals Sue Thousands Each Year Over Unpaid Medical Bills
By Trevor Brown
Published: August 7, 2019
It was not a call that Rabekah Crow expected. The Bartlesville resident was working at her job as a Phillips 66 help-desk agent in spring 2018 when an unfamiliar number flashed across her caller ID.
Where Dark Money Flowed in Oklahoma’s Legislative Races
By Trevor Brown
Published: January 13, 2022
In the days and weeks leading up to election day, dark money groups pumped hundreds of thousands of dollars into key Oklahoma legislative races, with the vast majority of the money helping Republican candidates.
Graphics
Data + Design
Through a mix of self-learning and training through the Investigative Reporters and Editors' National Institute for Computer Assisted Reporting (IRE and NICAR), I became a newsroom leader at Oklahoma Watch for our graphics and visualizing work.
In addition to collaborating with fellow reporters and holding my own training sessions, I produced dozens of graphics, interactive databases and other utilities with programs such as Tableau, Flourish and DataWrapper.
Technologies and Skills
I have experience analyzing, sorting, cleaning and visualizing data using Excel & Google Sheets, Tableau, DataWrapper, Flourish and Chart.js.
Excel & Google Sheets
Tableau
DataWrapper
Python
Chart.js
D3
I am in the process of exploring new languages and technologies, including Python and D3.
Selected Data Visualization Projects
Contact
Let's Connect and Build
I am available for full-time or freelance work in both journalism and web development — or both!
I didn't know exactly what was in store for me when I decided to quit my journalism job in 2022 and chart a new career path for myself. But I'm ready to build and continue my web development journey. With a passion for storytelling and a knack for coding, I'm eager to merge these worlds and create impactful digital experiences.
If you're looking for someone with a unique blend of storytelling and technical skills, or just want to share ideas and collaborate, please don't hesitate to reach out!
View Resume
Download Resume
E-mail Me
About Me
I grew up in the suburbs of Chicago before going to college at Indiana University and then working as a journalist in Indiana, Virginia, Wyoming and Oklahoma. I most recently was an investigative reporter for Oklahoma Watch, a non-profit news group based out of Oklahoma City.
I'm currently living in Bloomington, Indiana, with my best friend, Indy. We love spending time at dog parks, hiking and exploring new breweries and restaurants.
