MaryJo Webster
Journalist

"Denied Justice," a nine-part series published in the Star Tribune in 2018 that resulted in overhaul of state sex assault laws. It was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Local Reporting and won the Sigma Delta Chi Public Service Award, plus other awards.

"How housing rules keep the Twin Cities' metro segregated," published in the Star Tribune in 2021. I did all the reporting and writing, plus a large share of the data analysis. This is routinely mentioned during Legislative hearings about eliminating single-family zoning. Finalist in ONA contest.

"Juvenile Injustice," a four-part series published in the Star Tribune in 2022. It was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Investigative Reporting.

"Failing Grades," a 2024 series that revealed significant flaws in oversight of Minnesota's charter school system. Winner EWA Investigative & Public Service award.  PDFs of story 1, story 2, story 3

I led a team of nearly a dozen journalists to file public records requests for police calls for service to homes of public officials to assess the scope of political violence. PDF version.

"Ghost of a Chance," a six-part, narrative series podcast, launched January 2025. I served as editor and project manager.

Two-part series that I edited, which was published in the Star Tribune in 2022. The stories go behind the racial inequities in the metro area's tree canopy. Part 1. Part 2. 

In wake of 2025 assasinations of Minnesota lawmakers, I was part of a team on this quick-turn investigation about the alleged shooter. PDF version.

The first in a series of articles that is underpinned by groundbreaking data on income inequality & mobility released in 2023 by the Minneapolis Federal Reserve.

Hot Housing Index - an annual success with readers because they can find their own story in the data. This is an "index" I created by combining real estate sale metrics for each city. PDF version.

This 4-part series, published in 2023, revealed how the state's emphasis on keeping children with their parents has led to deaths. PDFs of part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4.

Example of telling a story primarily through data and visuals.  PDF version.

A series of stories about how demographic changes are affecting high school sports. Winner in 2026 APSE contest. PDF version.

Using a regression analysis, we identified schools that are "beating the odds" -- achieving test scores above expected levels. PDF version.

Listen to me talk about doing data journalism in breaking news situations (January 2026, Data Journalism Podcast)

Asynchronous online course, "Data Mindset for Editors." (January 2026)

"Shielded by the Badge" was a four-part series published in the Star Tribune 2017. It led to reforms by the state's police licensing board and won a National Headliner Award. PDF version.

"Question of Risk: Medtronic's Lost Study," published in the Star Tribune in 2016. Link to online story (design is broken). PDF of story text only. This story was a finalist in the Scripps Howard awards.

"Troubled Landlords" was a three-part series published in the St. Paul Pioneer Press in 2011. I jointly reported the story with Elizabeth Mohr, while teaching her how to tackle an accountability story. Part 2. Part 3.
PDF version.  This won the Frank Premack Public Service Award.

"Denny Hecker: Driven by the deal," a two-part series in the Pioneer Press that laid out the rise and fall of auto mogul Denny Hecker. Extensive document reporting to piece together his life and business interests. Online link to part 1.  PDF of part 1. PDF of part 2.

Article I wrote about having a "data state of mind."

Behind the data work for "How Twin Cities housing rules keep the metro segregated."

"How we built a database from thousands of police reports": Behind the data work for "Denied Justice."

I have become widely known for teaching data journalism, including my Data Journalism Academy website