Sarah Melotte
My name is Sarah Melotte and I'm a staff writer at the Daily Yonder, an independent newsroom about rural America. I started at the Yonder as a rural reporting fellow in 2021 while earning my master's degree in applied geography and geospatial science. I now use my spatial analytical skills to do most of our data reporting, map making, and data graphics.
When it comes to data-driven stories, I like to analyze rural economics and politics. When it comes to feature writing, however, my interest lies at the intersection of economics and the environment. I also write analytical and memoir essays over at my personal substack. You can catch me at sarahmelotte.substack.com.
I live in rural Western North Carolina with my girlfriend Hannah-Marie and Ernest, our one-year old Boston Terrier.
Want to work with me? Don't hesitate to reach out (sarah@dailyyonder.com).
education and work experience
Grants and Residencies
2024 Orion Environmental Writing Workshop, Rhinebeck, NY
2023 Frank Allen Field Reporting Grant recipient, Institute for Journalism and Natural Resources
Education
August 2014 - December 2017
Appalachian State University
Bachelor of Science - Sustainable Development [Agroecology Concentration]
August 2020 - May 2022
University of Colorado Denver
Applied Geography and Geospatial Science
Graduate Certificate in Geographic Information Science
sarah@dailyyonder.com