Kate Mishkin ’16

Since graduating from Knox, Kate Mishkin ’16 has experienced a diverse range of work in the field of journalism. She most recently worked as a senior investigative researcher for Ronan Farrow's production group, building sources, analyzing court documents, and providing interview prep documents for Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter Ronan Farrow, who is known for his work investigating film-maker Harvey Weinstein for sexual assault allegations. 

Mishkin’s interest in journalism developed at Knox, where she worked in various positions for The Knox Student (TKS) newspaper, from writer to editor-in-chief. She enjoyed the independence and institutional knowledge gained as a student journalist. “I liked that there was a newspaper that wouldn't let anyone tell them what to do—that wasn’t a mouthpiece for the school. And the administrators treated it like that,” she said.

Being completely student-written, TKS appealed to her as a way to dig up information and stay up-to-date on Knox’s current affairs. She recalls building strong relationships with many faculty and staff members across campus, including Campus Safety Director John Schlaf, who she pointed to as an important source. “There were a lot of sources and rapport building which is important in the real world. You create this mutual trust,” she added. 

Mishkin took the skills she learned working with TKS and writing classes to her career as a journalist. She went on to work as a reporter covering breaking news, crime, and police for the Daily Press in Newport News, Virginia. She later moved to Charleston, West Virginia where she worked as an investigative environmental reporter. 

A major turning point for Mishkin came after starting a weekly podcast with the Charleston Gazette-Mail that ultimately landed her a role with Sony Music Entertainment in Los Angeles, California. In her position, she worked with podcast hosts such as famous singer-songwriter and actor Donnie Wahlberg, reporting and producing content to provide an engaging story to captivate listeners. 

In 2023, Mishkin was offered the opportunity to work with Ronan Farrow, having recently completed a certificate in television writing from the University of California, Los Angeles, this was an opportunity she couldn’t refuse. Mishkin enjoys the work her career has led to and looks back at her time at Knox as a fundamental step in her journey.  

“I think both Knox and the real world have to do with the pursuit of truth, utilizing tools, public records, interviews, and source building to find facts and put them together to tell a story that's compelling and hopefully sparks some sort of change and makes a difference,” she said.