About

MaryJo's portfolio

MaryJo is a data journalist at the Minnesota Star Tribune in Minneapolis, where she has worked since 2015. Prior to that she spent 9 years as data editor at the St. Paul Pioneer Press. She also spent a couple years as the sports data editor at USA Today, and was the first data editor for The Center for Public Integrity. She started her career as a reporter at small papers in New Ulm, Minn. and Oshkosh, Wis.

She has a bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls and a master's degree in journalism from the University of Missouri-Columbia. While in Missouri, she worked at Investigative Reporters and Editors, running the data library, editing a newsletter and helping with bootcamps, workshops and conferences.

She is also a senior fellow with the Data Fellowship program run by the USC-Annenberg Center for Health Journalism. 

Previously, she has taught data journalism courses at the University of Minnesota and the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. She is a frequent teacher or speaker for journalism workshops and conferences.

Since 2022, she has served on the board of the Minnesotans for Open Government (formerly known as MNCOGI), the state's all-volunteer freedom of information coalition. 

In 2024, she won the prestigous Peter S. Popovich award from the Minnesota chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists.