Caulfield Lecture

Journalists Share Expertise and Lessons Learned for Reporting on Disasters

Loyola University Maryland will host a panel discussion with three journalists who have been critical in getting information to the public during recent disasters, from the Key Bridge collapse in Baltimore, to the flooding in Asheville, NC, to the hurricane season in Florida, for this year’s Caulfield Lecture. The event will take place on Thursday, April 3, at 5 p.m. in the 4th Floor Program Room.  

All three journalists were part of critical reporting on situations that had widespread impact in their communities. The Key Bridge collapse in Baltimore killed six construction workers, shut down one of the nation’s busiest ports, and caused traffic changes for East Coast travelers that could last for years. In Asheville, NC, Hurricane Helene caused record floods, washing away homes, businesses and roads, and resulting in more than 100 deaths and an estimated $60B in damages and losses. In Florida, a record hurricane season brought 5 major storms to batter the coastlines and bringing destruction to unprecedented number of communities.

Karen Chávez

Karen Chávez is the executive editor of the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA TODAY Network. She has worked for the daily newspaper for nearly 25 years in multiple capacities, from outdoors reporter to assistant sports editor to investigations editor. Karen led round-the-clock coverage of Tropical Storm Helene from the bullseye of the deadliest natural disaster in North Carolina’s history, and the third deadliest storm in modern U.S. history. Karen and her staff lived without water, power, Wi-Fi or cell service in their homes for weeks while covering Helene – as did much of Western North Carolina – and no running water, air conditioning or toilets in the downtown office.

Danielle Van Pelt

Danielle Van Pelt is a broadcast meteorologist in North Central Florida who loves to study all things weather. This past hurricane season, Danielle tracked Hurricane Debby, Helene, and Milton. She experienced the intensity of covering such powerful storms and learned up close how much devastation and uncertainty tropical systems can cause to communities. Working in Florida at WCJB TV20, an ABC affiliate, Danielle is a trained First Alert Meteorologist and can track the most fearsome weather conditions without implementing fear in her viewers.

Danny Zawodny

Danny Zawodny covers transportation for the Baltimore Banner as a corps member with Report For America, a national nonprofit that partners with local newsrooms to tackle under-reported issues. His stories dive into transit, infrastructure, state and federal spending, and, of course, the people of Baltimore and how they get around. He has been part of The Banner’s extensive coverage of the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, including day-1 coverage, following the process of designing the rebuild, and telling the stories of the human impact of the collapse.

Chávez, Van Pelt, and Zawodny will be in conversation with a Communication and Media faculty member and also answer questions from the audience. The event is free and open to the public. 

About the Caulfield Lecture:

Now in its 34^th year, the Caulfield Lecture series at Loyola was established by the family of Clarence J. Caulfield, a 1922 graduate who spent 26 years as an editor at The Baltimore Sun and was a mentor to such prominent writers as J. Anthony Lukas and Russell T. Baker. Hosted by the communication department, the Caulfield Lecture brings journalists and commentators of national stature to Loyola every year.