Mississippi Today is pleased to announce that journalist Sara DiNatale has joined the newsroom as an economy and jobs reporter.

DiNatale, a native of Buffalo, N.Y., will cover economic development and job creation in Mississippi. She will investigate the inner workings of Mississippi’s economic development initiatives and regional economic development organizations, with an eye toward racial justice and equity.

She will serve as the newsroom’s first reporter based on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

“So many Mississippians are struggling because they either can’t find or aren’t qualified for good, family-sustaining jobs,” said Mississippi Today Editor-in-Chief Adam Ganucheau. “We’ve heard countless politicians say that economic development is key to a better life for those people and a better state. Sara is just the right person to help us determine how those officials are doing. She’s got sharp news judgment and a deep curiosity about how Mississippians are affected by job creation initiatives and economic policy, and she’s ready to sink her teeth into this undercovered but critical beat.”

DiNatale, a graduate of the University at Buffalo, was most recently a retail, tourism and workplace culture reporter at the Tampa Bay Times. Before that, she interned at The Boston Globe, The Oregonian, and The Buffalo News.

“I am excited to join the talented team at Mississippi Today,” DiNatale said. “I look forward to diving right into my new role and uncovering stories that matter to our readers. I’m passionate about local news and watchdog reporting and can’t wait to flex those skills in my new home state. There has probably never been a more vital period to keep a close watch on Mississippi’s economic development than right now in the onset of pandemic recovery. I plan to do just that while keeping the focus of my work on the Mississippians who have been affected most.”

Reach out to Sara DiNatale at sdinatale@mississippitoday.org. Follow her on Twitter @sara_dinatale.

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