WHRO Public Media is pleased to welcome a new full-time reporter to the WHRO Newsroom focusing on the environment and sea level rise. Katherine Hafner, formerly of The Virginian-Pilot joins WHRO Public Media Director Mechelle Hankerson who leads WHRO’s local journalism initiative.

“Katherine’s been a thoughtful and diligent reporter covering important issues here in our region. We’re excited to have her join our team,” said Hankerson.

Katherine Hafner is a California native who graduated from UCLA and has enjoyed exploring what the East Coast has to offer. While at The Virginian-Pilot, she covered everything from local history and the environment to the military and health news. Katherine has earned multiple state journalism awards from the Virginia Press Association.

“We’re so excited to have Katherine as a part of our local journalism initiative. The region is in need of this type of reporting and we look forward to bringing more high-quality, local stories to our region,” said Heather Mazzoni, chief content officer for WHRO Public Media.

We recently caught up with Katherine to learn more about her. 

You spent seven years at The Virginian-Pilot writing mostly for print, but prior to that you spent time working in radio. Could you tell us about that and what excites you about returning to this medium?

My first experience with journalism – outside of my high school newspaper – was indeed in radio. Through my high school career office I was connected with a local environmental nonprofit in my home county that had a teen media program. As an intern, I’d report and produce environmentally-oriented news spots that aired on a station in San Francisco. I had a blast learning the ins and outs of audio editing while confirming my journalism career aspirations. I was asked back the following two summers, into early college, as a paid radio reporter who also ran the nonprofit’s blog and helped teach incoming interns. A decade later, my arrival here in some ways feels like a return and in others like I’m learning radio for the first time – especially since WHRO’s technology is much more advanced than what I used back then. Producing short radio spots makes you approach a story much differently than for print; you have to make the sentences even more concise and engaging and can only use a small fraction of information out of a mound of reporting you may have collected. I’m excited to hone those skills and learn the best uses of sound, even as I get to continue writing for the WHRO website as well.

In this new role you’ll be focusing on the environment and sea level rise, what is it about these topics that interest you?

Growing up in the beautiful San Francisco Bay Area, I’ve always felt connected to and passionate about the environment. As I mentioned, in my first gig as a radio intern I was focused on environmental issues. In the years since, including at The Virginian-Pilot, I’ve reported on seemingly every topic under the sun, including the military, health and local history. I’m excited to focus on the environment and sea level rise because it touches all those other issues. Explaining the mechanics of sea level rise lets me report on science, for instance. Reporting on the impacts in Hampton Roads stretches into how the military is bracing for sea level rise, the economics of the issue, how changes in the environment affect residents’ health and more. There’s no end to the potential stories, especially in an ecosystem as varied as ours. And of course it allows me to get outside and explore our environment, which is a plus. A recent story took me to a forest reserve outside Wakefield, for instance. Hard to beat working surrounded by trees, or out on a boat looking at oyster reefs, and so on.

What are you most looking forward to in your role with WHRO?

I’m most looking forward to connecting with interesting people on a daily basis. That includes internally at WHRO getting to work alongside and learn from people with decades of experience and a host of technical skills, who are all passionate about providing Hampton Roads with the best possible information. It also means getting access to talk with lots of people in the region, from scientific experts to political leaders to citizens with fascinating stories and passions. Every day I get to learn something new, and that’s both very valuable and pretty hard to find in a career.

I heard that your reporting on carbon monoxide detectors in daycare centers led to a change in state law — could you tell us about that?

In early 2020, I wrote a story for The Pilot about an incident at a Virginia Beach day care in which carbon monoxide leaked for hours. I heard about it from a mother of one of the children there, who was understandably upset by the situation and had learned that carbon monoxide detectors aren’t required in schools and day cares in Virginia. My story looked into the local incident as well as diving into why the detectors aren’t required in state law and the frequency of similar incidents. About a year later, I learned of a bill in the General Assembly that would require at least one such detector in public schools and licensed child care facilities in the Commonwealth. One of the sponsors, local Delegate Alex Askew, stated that he’d learned of the issue in my article. The bill then passed the General Assembly with only a single dissenting vote in each chamber. I don’t take credit for this; it’s the relentlessness of that Virginia Beach mother, Nikki Zellner, and the lawmakers who introduced the bill that deserve it. But I’m proud that my reporting could be a spark that informed people in power. Such a quick turnaround time from article to approved legislation is pretty rare.

As a California native, what has life been like on the East Coast?

I have to say, I will never get used to the humidity. But in general I have enjoyed getting to explore a new coast and region. It’s been fascinating to live alongside so much history, which you can feel walking among the brick buildings and cobblestone streets and such. It’s definitely a different energy than the California communities I’m used to that have more Spanish-style or modern architecture. I also love basking in the warmer water of the Atlantic. Hampton Roads in particular has so much to offer because it’s home to so many different landscapes and cultures. It’s been fun to experience real seasons, too. I just wish I could ship our surplus of water to drought-stricken California.

When not busy working on a story, what activities do you most enjoy?

I can’t say I have too many interesting hobbies, but I simply value spending quality time with friends, my boyfriend and cat. I’ve always been a big reader, so I like to curl up with a good book, but I can just as easily binge reality television – depends on the day! I like to play boardgames with friends, explore Norfolk’s never-ending supply of craft breweries, go on a nice walk at First Landing State Park or just put on some good Van Morrison records.

What is something our readers may be surprised to learn about you?

I minored in music history at UCLA. I’ve always loved classic rock and was overjoyed to take classes on the Beatles, rock documentaries, the history of music in Los Angeles and more. That was all just for fun – I always intended to pursue journalism with my communications major.

Anything I haven’t asked that you’d like to mention?

Enough about me, I’m just grateful to keep reporting on Hampton Roads and to be with a supportive organization like WHRO. Readers and listeners, please feel free to reach out with ideas!

Read Katherine's latest stories. You can reach Katherine at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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You can hear her stories along with other reports from the WHRO Newsroom on WHRV 89.5 FM, or listen online and through WHRO’s Media App.

 

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