Current Class of New America Fellows

For almost 25 years, New America’s Fellows Program has supported the dynamic storytelling and creative efforts of journalists, educators, filmmakers, researchers, and now, for the first time, a storyteller working in the video game industry and extended reality (XR)—all working to shape the conversation on the critical issues of today. The Fellows Program has supported nearly 300 Fellows who have gone on to publish more than 150 books, produced 16 feature-length films, developed 2 podcast series, and written several award-winning long-form reporting projects. Visit the Fellows Archive to see the full body of work produced by our Fellows.

Every year, the program receives hundreds of competitive applicants, and this year, we chose 15 talented individuals for our Class of 2025 National Fellows. Read our report on the Class of 2025 Fellows Program applicants here.

Class of 2025 New America Fellows

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Cecilia Ballí, ASU Media Enterprise Fellow
Cecilia Ballí is a journalist and cultural anthropologist whose writing explores the U.S.-Mexico border region and Mexican American and Latino history, culture, and politics.

Paige Bethmann, New America Fellow
Paige Bethmann is a Haudenosaunee filmmaker whose experience centers Indigenous storytelling on culture, futurism, race, ethnicity, and identity.

Keri Blakinger, Emerson Collective Fellow
Keri Blakinger is a criminal justice reporter covering incarceration and the criminal justice system in the United States.

Sam Butin, New America Fellow
Sam Butin is a storyteller who incorporates video games and extended reality into his creative endeavors with themes of immigration, history, and immersive world-building.

Matthew Campbell, Jonathan Logan Family Foundation Fellow
Matthew Campbell is a reporter and editor who has reported from more than 25 countries. His work covers crime, corruption, terrorism, public health, and the environment.

Aimee Meredith Cox, New America Fellow
Aimee Meredith Cox is a cultural anthropologist, writer, and movement artist whose work centers on Black feminist theory and reflects on the intersection of race, gender, regional identity, violence, and resilience.

Megan Garber, Emerson Collective Fellow
Megan Garber is a writer whose work covers the intersection of culture, politics, and entertainment.

Seth Harp, ASU Future Security Fellow
Seth Harp is an investigative reporter and foreign correspondent who writes about the intersection of armed conflict and organized crime.

Will Hunt, New America Fellow
Will Hunt is a nonfiction writer whose work focuses on cultural heritage, humanity, and connections that stem from place-based relationships.

Jason Fitzroy Jeffers, Jonathan Logan Family Foundation Fellow
Jason Fitzroy Jeffers is a Barbados-based filmmaker whose work has been featured at the Sundance Film Festival, BlackStar, Toronto International Film Festival, and other film festivals across the country.

Sheelah Kolhatkar, New America Fellow
Sheelah Kolhatkar is an award-winning investigative reporter and feature writer who covers business, politics, and technology.

Molly O’Toole, ASU Future Security Fellow
Molly O’Toole is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist whose work centers on themes of migration, security, and foreign policy.

Alex W. Palmer, ASU Future Security Fellow
Alex W. Palmer writes on foreign policy and international security issues.

Nadim Roberts, New America Fellow
Nadim Roberts is a journalist and documentary filmmaker based in London.

Mayukh Sen, Shourie Family Fellow
Mayukh Sen is an independent culture journalist whose work centers on immigration and themes focused on food, travel, and community.