Hi, I’m Sam Zern.

I’m a state government reporter in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania covering all things Keystone State. I have a special interest in education policy and how state-level decisions impact localities. 

I’m originally from Austin, Texas and got my start in journalism in the South, both freelancing in Austin and at my college newspaper in Nashville, Tennessee. While in Nashville, I also wrote for the Nashville Post and interned with Nashville Public Radio, where I worked on the award-nominated podcast The Promise. 

I’m driven by a belief in the power of local news to engage with and build community. I’m inspired by movement & service journalism and hope to orient my work around the principles that make those orientations so valuable.