7 p.m. Thursday, Delta Ballroom A, Main Level 2, Gaylord Opryland Convention Center
NHSJC and Pulitzer on the Road present "The power of stories: How local journalism can make a difference"
Featuring Pulitzer Prize winners in conversation:
Jessica Gallagher and Alissa Zhu of The Baltimore Banner, and Toluse Olorunnipa of The Atlantic
Moderated by Nicole Carroll of NEWSWELL and co-chair of the Pulitzer Prize Board
Deeply reported local journalism can spark national conversations, shape public policy and fuel global movements. How do journalists shape their stories to have the most impact? This keynote panel presented by Pulitzer on the Road brings together four Pulitzer-winning journalists for a dynamic conversation about the art of storytelling in journalism, the importance of covering local stories and their potential for national reach. From building trust in the communities they cover, to the craft, ethics and urgency of reporting at the local level, these journalists will talk about the powerful role of storytelling in shaping an informed society.
This keynote presentation will take place during the fall convention's opening ceremony on Thursday, Nov. 13. Attendance is open to registered attendees only.
Please note, the general session hall capacity is limited. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. Please arrive early to secure your seat and enjoy live preshow music.
FRIDAY FOLLOW-UP SESSIONS
9 a.m. and 10 a.m. Friday, Delta Mezzanine 5, Level M, Convention Center
After Thursday's keynote panel, convention attendees are invited to join Pulitzer on the Road for two follow-up breakout sessions on Friday morning. These sessions will provide a more intimate setting for students to engage with our Pulitzer-winning keynote speakers, to learn more about their career and ask questions. Please note that space in these sessions are limited on a first come, first served basis. Please plan accordingly.
9 a.m. Friday: Toluse Olorunnipa, 2023 Pulitzer Prize Winner in General Nonfiction
10 a.m. Friday: Jessica Gallagher and Alissa Zhu, 2025 Pulitzer Prize Winners in Local Reporting
About the keynote speakers
Jessica Gallagher, panelist
2025 Pulitzer Prize Winner in Local Reporting
Jessica Gallagher is a staff photojournalist at The Baltimore Banner whose photos and reporting for the award-winning project about Baltimore's drug overdose crisis contributed to the team's 2025 Pulitzer Prize for Local Reporting, work that was published as a collaboration between The Banner and The New York Times. Prior to joining The Banner, Gallagher worked at The Greenville News, The Quad-City Times, and The Times-Georgian.
Toluse Olorunnipa, panelist
2023 Pulitzer Prize Winner in General Nonfiction
Toluse Olorunnipa is a staff writer at The Atlantic. He is the co-author of "His Name is George Floyd: One Man's Life and the Struggle for Racial Justice," winner of the 2023 Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction and a finalist for the National Book Award, LA Times Book Award and Lukas Prize. Previously, he worked at the Washington Post for six years, serving as the White House Bureau Chief. His coverage of politics, policy and power during the last four presidencies has garnered numerous awards, including a Peabody Award, a George Polk Award and the Gerald Ford Prize for Reporting on the Presidency. Olorunnipa started his career at the Miami Herald.
Alissa Zhu, panelist
2025 Pulitzer Prize Winner in Local Reporting
Alissa Zhu, is a health beat reporter at The Baltimore Banner and was part of a team whose compassionate investigative series on Baltimore's fentanyl crisis and its disproportionate impact on older Black men won the 2025 Pulitzer Prize for Local Reporting. This series was published as a collaboration between The Banner and The New York Times. Previously, Alissa worked at the Clarion Ledger in Jackson, Mississippi, and the News-Leader in her hometown of Springfield, Missouri.
Nicole Carroll, moderator
2018 Pulitzer Prize Winner in Explanatory Reporting & Pulitzer Prize Board co-chair
The conversation will be moderated by Nicole Carroll, co-chair of the Pulitzer Prize Board, host of the Pulitzer on the Road podcast, and executive director of NEWSWELL, a nonprofit aimed at transforming local news. A professor of practice at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University, Carroll has more than three decades of journalism experience. Carroll was previously editor-in-chief at USA Today, and before that, spent almost 20 years as top editor of The Arizona Republic, where she led a project that won a 2018 Pulitzer Prize, as well as breaking news coverage recognized as Pulitzer Prize finalists in 2014 and 2012. In 2018, Carroll was named Benjamin C. Bradlee Editor of the Year by the National Press Foundation.
About Pulitzer on the Road
Pulitzer on the Road is a public outreach initiative celebrating the work of Pulitzer Prize winners with audiences across the country. Through a new series of content and live events, they enable the public to engage with Pulitzer-winning authors and journalists while hearing the stories behind their revelatory work. Join them for live events, and subscribe to the Pulitzer on the Road Podcast.
The JEA/NSPA National High School Journalism Convention is thrilled to partner with Pulitzer on the Road to present this special keynote panel as part of the 2025 fall convention.