Who we are

During the past three years, the Philadelphia Center for Gun Violence Reporting has supported a diverse network of 64 individuals. Soon, we will add profile sections for all of our community journalists, consultants, contractors, advisors and other people partnering with us. This page presently represents the core staff at the Center. Please send us a message with any questions, concerns or recommendations. To learn about collaborating organizations, please visit: Powered by partnerships

Current staff members

Dr. Jessica Beard
Director of Research

Dr. Jessica Beard is the Director of Research at the Philadelphia Center for Gun Violence Reporting and a Stoneleigh Foundation Fellow. She is a trauma surgeon at Temple University Hospital and a public health research focused on gun violence, prevention and the role of the media. READ MORE

Maxayn Gooden
Credible Messenger Community Manager

Maxayn Gooden is the Credible Messenger Community Manager at the Philadelphia Center for Gun Violence Reporting. Previously, she produced a short documentary in the inaugural cohort of our Credible Messenger Reporting Project and also leads her own gun violence prevention organizations and activities. READ MORE

Shannon Hodges
Podcast Producer

Shannon Hodges is a podcast producer at the Philadelphia Center for Gun Violence Reporting. She is primarily focused on product development, branding and strategy related to advancing our podcasting capabilities. READ MORE

Jim MacMillan
Director

Jim MacMillan is the founder and Director of the Philadelphia Center for Gun Violence Reporting and our parent organization, The Initiative for Better Gun Violence Reporting, which he launched during his fellowship at the Reynolds Journalism Institute at the University of Missouri School of Journalism. READ MORE

Oronde McClain
Credible Messenger Newsroom Liaison

Oronde McClain is the Credible Messenger Newsroom Liaison at the Philadelphia Center for Gun Violence Reporting. Previously, he produced a short documentary with support from our Credible Messenger Reporting Project. He also founded and maintains his own foundation. READ MORE

Maria Mitri
Project Editor

Maria Mitri is a Project Editor at the Philadelphia Center for Gun Violence Reporting, where she has been managing content related to our Credible Messenger Reporting Project and supporting additional operations. She is with the Center thanks to a Next Generation Award from The Lenfest Institute for Journalism. READ MORE

Previous staff members

Charlotte Barron
Project Manager

Charlotte Barron was a Project Manager at the Philadelphia Center for Gun Violence Reporting. She focused on network expansion and collaborating with partners to create a centralized directory of gun violence experts, as well as additional duties. READ MORE

Alison Burdo
Philadelphia Operations Manager

Alison Burdo was the Philadelphia Operations Manager for the Initiative for Better Gun Violence Reporting, our parent organization. She coordinated planning for our inaugural Better Gun Violence Reporting Summit in 2019. READ MORE

Sheila Hodges
Communications Manager

Sheila Hodges was the Communications Manager at the Center for Gun Violence Reporting and a Next Generation intern supported by the Lenfest Institute for Journalism. She reported on the work of our Credible Messenger Reporting Project teams and produced social media content. READ MORE

Credible Messenger teams

Yolanda Brutley-Dugger
Credible Messenger

Yolanda was a Credible Messenger on the "Numb to Normalcy: Gun Violence in Philadelphia" Credible Messenger Reporting project.

Sammy Caiola
Professional Partner

Sammy Caiola worked as a Professional Partner on the "These Philly Gun Violence Activists Are Not Giving Up On Saving Lives" Credible Messenger Reporting Project.

Tyler Campbell
Credible Messenger

Tyler was a Credible Messenger on the "Humanity Behind the Headlines: Black Men on Surviving in Philly" Credible Messenger Reporting Project.

Brandon Chastang
Credible Messenger

B. McFly worked as a Credible Messenger on the "These Philly Gun Violence Activists Are Not Giving Up On Saving Lives" Credible Messenger Reporting Project.

Taj Devore-Bey
Credible Messenger

Taj was a Credible Messenger on the "The Lasting Impact: Emotional Scars that Gun Violence Leaves Behind" Credible Messenger Reporting Project.

Dana DiFilippo-Hindash
Professional Partner

Dana was a Professional Partner on the "Humanity Behind the Headlines: Black Men on Surviving in Philly" Credible Messenger Reporting Project.

Taylor Dixon-Moore
Credible Messenger

Taylor was a Credible Messenger on the "Numb to Normalcy: Gun Violence in Philadelphia" Credible Messenger Reporting project.

Ruth Donnelly
Story Subject

Ruth was a story subject on the "The Path Forward" Credible Messenger Reporting Project.

Aleida García
Story Subject

Aleida was a story subject on the "The Path Forward" Credible Messenger Reporting Project.

Maxayne Gooden
Credible Messenger

Maxayne was a Credible Messenger on the "The Lasting Impact: Emotional Scars that Gun Violence Leaves Behind" Credible Messenger Reporting Project.

Ronald Gray
Credible Messenger

Ronald was a Credible Messenger on the "Humanity Behind the Headlines: Black Men on Surviving in Philly" Credible Messenger Reporting Project.

Gregory Greer
Credible Messenger

Gregory was a Credible Messenger on the "Never Ending Emotions" Credible Messenger Reporting Project.

Cherri Gregg
Professional Partner

Cherri was a Professional Partner on the "'They Don't Care About Us' or Do They?" Credible Messenger Reporting Project.

Chris Hepp
Professional Partner

Chris was a Professional Partner on "The Lasting Impact: Emotional Scars that Gun Violence Leaves Behind" Credible Messenger Reporting Project.

Denise James
Professional Partner

Denise was a Professional Partner on the "The Path Forward" Credible Messenger Reporting Project.

Erin Jay
Professional Partner

Erin was a Professional Partner on the "Never Ending Emotions" Credible Messenger Reporting Project.

Dorothy Johnson-Speight
Credible Messenger

Dorothy was a Credible Messenger on the "The Path Forward" Credible Messenger Reporting Project.

Solomon Jones Jr.
Professional Partner

Solomon was a Professional Partner on the "Voices Beyond the Gunfire" Credible Messenger Reporting Project.

Kimberly Kamara
Credible Messenger

Kimberly was a Credible Messenger on the "Never Ending Emotions" Credible Messenger Reporting Project.

Alisha Laws
Credible Messenger

Alisha was a Credible Messenger on the "Numb to Normalcy: Gun Violence in Philadelphia" Credible Messenger Reporting project.

Chris Mansfield
Video Producer

Chris Mansfield worked as a Video Producer on the "These Philly Gun Violence Activists Are Not Giving Up On Saving Lives" Credible Messenger Reporting Project.

Stephanie Marudas
Professional Partner

Stephanie was a Professional Partner on the "Stronger Every Day" Credible Messenger Reporting Project. 

Oronde McClain
Credible Messenger

Oronde was a Credible Messenger on the "'They Don't Care About Us' or Do They?" Credible Messenger Reporting Project.

Ahmad Mitchell
Credible Messenger

Ahmad was a Credible Messenger on the "Numb to Normalcy: Gun Violence in Philadelphia" Credible Messenger Reporting project.

Emily Previti
Credible Messenger

Emily was a Credible Messenger on the "Stronger Every Day" Credible Messenger Reporting Project. 

Aapril Rice
Credible Messenger

Aapril was a Credible Messenger on the "Numb to Normalcy: Gun Violence in Philadelphia" Credible Messenger Reporting project.

Alyssa Rosendary
Credible Messenger

Alyssa was a Credible Messenger on the "Stronger Every Day" Credible Messenger Reporting Project. 

Tamara Russell
Professional Partner

Tamara was a Professional Partner on the "Numb to Normalcy: Gun Violence in Philadelphia" Credible Messenger Reporting project.

Vernetta Santiful
Story Subject

Vernetta was a story subject on the "The Path Forward" Credible Messenger Reporting Project.

Tashawn Strother
Credible Messenger

Tashawn was a Credible Messenger on the "Stronger Every Day" Credible Messenger Reporting Project. 

Brian Wallace
Credible Messenger

Brian was a Credible Messenger on the "Voices Beyond the Gunfire" Credible Messenger Reporting Project.

Brett Williams
Credible Messenger

Brett was a Credible Messenger on the "'They Don't Care About Us' or Do They?" Credible Messenger Reporting Project.

Khali Younger
Credible Messenger

Khali was a Credible Messenger on the "Voices Beyond the Gunfire" Credible Messenger Reporting Project.