Lily Altavena

Lily Altavena is an accomplished education equity reporter at the Detroit Free Press since March 2021, where Lily focuses on disparities in education across Michigan and has published impactful investigations, including a series that prompted calls for reform from the governor. Concurrently, Lily serves as a Faculty Associate at Arizona State University, teaching in the Cronkite digital audiences program. Previously, Lily worked as an education reporter for The Arizona Republic, covering extensive K-12 issues, and was a senior producer and lead reporter for a documentary on prescription opioid abuse at Cronkite News. Lily also has experience in various journalism roles, including production at MSNBC and Tribune Media, and contributions to Kicker, showcasing a well-rounded background in investigative and community-focused reporting. Lily holds a Master’s Degree in Journalism from Arizona State University and a B.A. in Journalism from New York University.