Andrea V. Watson is a multimedia journalist with a passion for storytelling.
She holds a master’s degree in public affairs journalism from Columbia College Chicago and a bachelor’s degree in English, with a concentration in media studies, from the University of Illinois-Chicago.
She was a staff reporter with DNAinfo.com for three years in Chicago before the company closed. She is Vice President of Digital for the National Association of Black Journalists Chicago Chapter. She is the co-regional captain for JAWS (Journalism & Women Symposium) Chicago. She’s a mentor with the nonprofit Ladies of Virtue.
Her work has been featured on NBCChicago.com, WBEZ.com and InsideHigherEd.com. She also has bylines in JET Magazine, EBONY, The Chicago Tribune, The Chicago Defender and more. During her time at DNAinfo, Andrea was a regular guest on Fox32’s morning show.
As a digital daily reporter for DNAinfo, Andrea covered breaking news, crime, politics, business developments, and more. She understood the pulse of the neighborhoods she covered, and still does, occasionally, for fun. She has broken several stories in Chicago that have attracted other media.
Her story on a suburban Illinois teen banned from prom garnered international attention, even J.K. Rowling, author of the Harry Potter series tweeted her story. Andrea’s Englewood story on a champion winning elementary chess team got them the chance to meet President Barack Obama. She conducted an exclusive interview with the widow of Bernie Mac in their home. Her story on stolen artwork of Michelle Obama that was put on a wall on Chicago’s South Side turned into a global story resulting in publications such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, CNN.com and others crediting her story.
Andrea’s experience has granted her the opportunity to report on higher education, environmental issues in urban communities, health disparities, entertainment, politics and more. She has produced both national and local stories.
Andrea V. Watson 