Lisa Finnegan's Biography

I began my career as a reporter on a small weekly newspaper on Long Island, N.Y. The paper, the Port Jefferson Record, went from two publications to nine in the span of three years. I covered all aspects of local government, was promoted to covering county government and later became editor of two of the papers.

I moved on to work as a staff reporter for daily newspapers, including the Saratogian, in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. and the Press Enterprise in Bloomsburg, Pa.

In Washington, D.C. I covered politics for States News Service. My articles from States appeared in the Boston Globe, the Denver Post, the Colorado Springs Gazette, the Anchorage Daily News and at least a dozen other newspapers around the country. I covered bill markups, hearings, White House events, business news, agencies and just about everything there is to cover in Washington.

Later I became the Washington, D.C. editor and staff writer for Occupational Hazards Magazine, where I covered the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the Environmental Protection Agency and Congress. I also attended meetings, attended conferences, cultivated sources in the safety and health field and wrote hard news and feature stories about worker safety and health.

As a freelance writer my articles have appeared in Washington Lawyer Magazine, Asia Times, Manager Magazine, Flatirons Magazine (in Colorado), several American City Business Journals, Newsday and handful of other newspapers in the U.S.

Additionally, I was the Associate Director of Public Affairs for Media Relations for Fordham University, in N.Y. I received a master's degree in educational psychology from Fordham and, with Psychology Professor Harold Takooshian, conducted a study about attitudes toward terrorism that received some publicity.

As a result of the publicity, Dr. Takooshian and I were asked to contribute an article to the Fordham Urban Law Journal. The May 2003 article was titled "The USA Patriot Act: Civil Liberties, The Media, and Public Opinion."

I also presented the study's findings at a few psychology conferences and have participated on panel discussions about terrorism and attitudes toward terrorism. Additionally, I participated in a panel discussion at an NGO conference at the UN entitled �Peace-building in the Aftermath of Terrorism: A Shared Responsibility.�

Here is a list of some of the awards I won as a journalist:

1993: 1st Place, depth reporting, New York State Associated Press Association. "Workers at Risk."

1993: 1st Place, local reporting , New York Newspaper Publishers Association. "Workers at Risk."

1992: 1st Place, depth reporting, New York State Associated Press Association. "What's Wrong With Welfare."

1992: 1st Place, local reporting, New York Newspaper Publishers Association. "What's Wrong With Welfare."

1992: 2nd Place, deadline reporting, New York State Associated Press Association. "Fire Ravages City House; 10 Homeless."

1992: Hon. Mention, depth reporting, Gannett Well Done Competition. "What's Wrong With Welfare."

1992: Hon. Mention, feature writing, Gannett Well Done Competition. A collection of feature stories

1990: 1st Place, deadline reporting, Long Island Press Club. "Woman Killed in Stony Brook Home."

1988: 3rd Place, general assignment reporting, National Newspaper Association. " 'Getting Wasted': For Some Teens Drinking is a Pastime."