Experience

Iraq Oil Report

• Iraq
• Media Production
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Editor In Chief

  • Jan 2010 - Present

  Built and led an independent news organization dedicated to exposing and explaining the nexus of oil, politics, and security in post-war Iraq. • Hired and managed diverse staff of 15 reporters, creating a collaborative newsroom characterized by teamwork, generosity, and rigorous ground-up reporting. • Reported from Iraq, the Middle East, and U.S., developing 500+ sources in government ministries, security forces, intelligence agencies, and multinational companies. • Led dozens of deep-dive investigations into topics including the effects of climate change, failures to develop green energy, secretive oil deals, sensitive diplomatic negotiations, corporate lobbying, and industrial-scale corruption. • Built internal data sets to drive reporting insights, and secured documentary evidence through source networks, OSINT, and FOIA to ensure bulletproof sourcing. • Maintained high-tempo publication schedule, balancing timely news coverage with long-term reporting projects. • Top-edited all content, both AP-style breaking news and structurally complex features. • Scooped big-name competitors, regularly earning hat-tip citations in the New York Times, FT, Bloomberg, Reuters, etc. • Won numerous accolades, including the SPJ’s Sigma Delta Chi award and the Society of American Business Editors and Writers Best in Business award. Show less



USA Ultimate

• United States
• Spectator Sports
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Board Member

  • Dec 2021 - Present

  Contributed to the governance and oversight of the national governing body for the sport of ultimate frisbee. Led the development of a new strategic plan, synthesizing feedback and cultivating buy-in from a stakeholder group of 63,000 members. Contributed to the governance and oversight of the national governing body for the sport of ultimate frisbee. Led the development of a new strategic plan, synthesizing feedback and cultivating buy-in from a stakeholder group of 63,000 members.



Freelance Reporter

• Freelance Reporter

  • Dec 2009 - Dec 2016

  Reported from the Middle East and United States with a focus on national security, politics, international diplomacy, and the oil industry. • Reported for the Washington Post, including multiple front-page bylines. Collaborated closely with editors and staff reporters to cover the ISIS war. • Published features in Foreign Policy, Bloomberg, and The Atlantic. • Appeared regularly on CNN, NPR, and BBC — and once on Comedy Central. Archive of selected clips available here: http://benvanheuvelen.com/work Show less



New America

• United States
• Think Tanks
• 100 - 200 Employee

• Research Fellow

  • Jan 2008 - Dec 2009

  Investigated ExxonMobil and reported on U.S. government policy in a dozen oil-rich countries as researcher for Pulitzer-winning journalist Steve Coll's book Private Empire: ExxonMobil and American Power. • Identified and interviewed over 100 sources, including in the U.S. government, oil industry, and NGO community. • Gained access to over 1,000 pages of previously classified documents through FOIA. • Organized and executed a systematic survey of open-source documents, including corporate financial statements, lobbying disclosures, legal complaints and affidavits, public records, and news databases. • Private Empire won the FT/Goldman Sachs Business Book of the Year award. Show less