Katie Sanders
Managing Editor at PolitiFact- Claim this Profile
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Bio
Hilary Lehman
Katie worked under me for much of my time at the Alligator. When I was copy desk chief, she was a copy editor, and she held the post of university editor when I was managing editor for print. As a copy editor, she caught fact errors as well as style errors. While I had to coach other copy editors to read for overall content in addition to the nitty-gritty details, Katie caught on quickly and was excellent at both. During her time as university editor, Katie had a skeletal staff of two reporters, often doing stories herself. She reported our biggest story of the semester, about a Student Government scandal, straight off the plane from a weeklong trip to Guatemala. She stayed in the newsroom until the paper was put to bed each night, even though all her stories were long past edited. She was open to editing and always willing to learn. Despite her long hours and heavy workload, I never saw her say an unkind word to any of her writers or lose her temper with anyone. Katie is a joy to work with: positive, talented and hardworking, she is an asset to any newsroom.
Hilary Lehman
Katie worked under me for much of my time at the Alligator. When I was copy desk chief, she was a copy editor, and she held the post of university editor when I was managing editor for print. As a copy editor, she caught fact errors as well as style errors. While I had to coach other copy editors to read for overall content in addition to the nitty-gritty details, Katie caught on quickly and was excellent at both. During her time as university editor, Katie had a skeletal staff of two reporters, often doing stories herself. She reported our biggest story of the semester, about a Student Government scandal, straight off the plane from a weeklong trip to Guatemala. She stayed in the newsroom until the paper was put to bed each night, even though all her stories were long past edited. She was open to editing and always willing to learn. Despite her long hours and heavy workload, I never saw her say an unkind word to any of her writers or lose her temper with anyone. Katie is a joy to work with: positive, talented and hardworking, she is an asset to any newsroom.
Hilary Lehman
Katie worked under me for much of my time at the Alligator. When I was copy desk chief, she was a copy editor, and she held the post of university editor when I was managing editor for print. As a copy editor, she caught fact errors as well as style errors. While I had to coach other copy editors to read for overall content in addition to the nitty-gritty details, Katie caught on quickly and was excellent at both. During her time as university editor, Katie had a skeletal staff of two reporters, often doing stories herself. She reported our biggest story of the semester, about a Student Government scandal, straight off the plane from a weeklong trip to Guatemala. She stayed in the newsroom until the paper was put to bed each night, even though all her stories were long past edited. She was open to editing and always willing to learn. Despite her long hours and heavy workload, I never saw her say an unkind word to any of her writers or lose her temper with anyone. Katie is a joy to work with: positive, talented and hardworking, she is an asset to any newsroom.
Hilary Lehman
Katie worked under me for much of my time at the Alligator. When I was copy desk chief, she was a copy editor, and she held the post of university editor when I was managing editor for print. As a copy editor, she caught fact errors as well as style errors. While I had to coach other copy editors to read for overall content in addition to the nitty-gritty details, Katie caught on quickly and was excellent at both. During her time as university editor, Katie had a skeletal staff of two reporters, often doing stories herself. She reported our biggest story of the semester, about a Student Government scandal, straight off the plane from a weeklong trip to Guatemala. She stayed in the newsroom until the paper was put to bed each night, even though all her stories were long past edited. She was open to editing and always willing to learn. Despite her long hours and heavy workload, I never saw her say an unkind word to any of her writers or lose her temper with anyone. Katie is a joy to work with: positive, talented and hardworking, she is an asset to any newsroom.
Experience
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PolitiFact
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United States
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Online Media
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1 - 100 Employee
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Managing Editor
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Sep 2018 - Present
• I oversee the daily operations of our fact-checking newsroom, working with teams in St. Petersburg, Florida, and Washington, D.C., to bring truth to U.S. and Florida politics. I edit stories and fact-checks, approve assignments, run daily pitch meetings, train new editors and reporters, and recruit freelancers, interns and new hires.• I constantly monitor misinformation trends around politics and COVID-19 through PolitiFact's work with Meta's Third-Party Fact-Checking Program and also TikTok.• I script and present videos on fact-checks for our YouTube/Instagram/TikTok accounts. Co-hosted the "What the Fact" TV show on Newsy from 2018 to 2020. • Train journalists, students and the public on tenets of fact-checking and media literacy through the Poynter Institute for Media Studies. Show less
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Deputy Editor
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Nov 2015 - Sep 2018
• Helped direct coverage of the 2016 Republican and Democratic presidential primaries, including dozens of late-night debates and a reporting trip in Des Moines. Directed coverage of the 2018 Florida governor's race and U.S. Senate race.• Led our final project around The Obameter, a comprehensive report of Obama's 533 campaign promises that spanned seven stories, web graphics and animation.• Awarded a three-week reporting fellowship from the International Center for Journalists to bring stories from Japan home to Florida readers. (I earned a followup trip in 2018.)• Co-taught a fact-checking class for Mizzou students over several semesters. Show less
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PunditFact Staff Reporter
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Nov 2013 - Nov 2015
Helped launch a new vertical that introduced fact-checking to the world of TV and radio political commentary. Worked on deadline to fact-check statements from the major Sunday news shows.
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PolitiFact Florida Staff Reporter
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Dec 2011 - Nov 2013
Broke from the pack of Capitol reporters to report on questionable claims from Florida's leaders through PolitiFact's model of accountability reporting.
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Tampa Bay Times - Times Publishing Co
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United States
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Newspaper Publishing
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1 - 100 Employee
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Staff Reporter
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Jan 2011 - Jun 2012
I reported on state government and politics for the Tampa Bay Times and Miami Herald's shared Tallahassee bureau. I reported on state government and politics for the Tampa Bay Times and Miami Herald's shared Tallahassee bureau.
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St Petersburg Times
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United States
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Technology, Information and Internet
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1 - 100 Employee
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Breaking news intern
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Jan 2010 - Jul 2010
I worked the pre-dawn shift and reported on several breaking news stories every day. I worked the pre-dawn shift and reported on several breaking news stories every day.
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ABC News
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Newspaper Publishing
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1 - 100 Employee
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Reporter/blogger
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Sep 2009 - Dec 2009
Concentrated on college-centric enterprise stories for ABCNews.com from the University of Florida's ABC News On Campus bureau. Concentrated on college-centric enterprise stories for ABCNews.com from the University of Florida's ABC News On Campus bureau.
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Reporting intern
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Jun 2009 - Aug 2009
I worked the cops beat and wrote regular news features for the front page. I worked the cops beat and wrote regular news features for the front page.
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Reporting Intern
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Feb 2009 - May 2009
I covered congressional hearings and news conferences, teamed up with reporters for in-depth stories, and wrote shorter pieces on a tight deadline for the twice-daily insider news service. I covered congressional hearings and news conferences, teamed up with reporters for in-depth stories, and wrote shorter pieces on a tight deadline for the twice-daily insider news service.
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The Independent Florida Alligator
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Newspaper Publishing
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1 - 100 Employee
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University editor
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May 2008 - Dec 2008
I managed a staff of three writers and several stringers to cover all things University of Florida: administration, Student Government, general news and Shands. I assigned and edited stories for content and length on deadline for the largest student-run newspaper in the country.
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University reporter
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Jan 2008 - May 2008
I wrote one or two stories a day about University of Florida events, Student Government and administration. I wrote personality profiles about new UF officials and students and traveled across the state covering the university trustees and Board of Governors.
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Education
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2006 - 2010
University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications
Bachelor's, Journalism
Community
