Phaedra Trethan

About

I am a senior reporter on USA Today's Nation team, moving to Gannett's flagship paper in October 2023 after 16 years in local news. In the summer of 2023, I was awarded USA Today's How We Live fellowship, which allowed local reporters to take eight weeks to devote to a single project impacting the communities they cover. I chose to focus on how homelessness, addiction and other challenges affect the quality of life for longtime Black and brown residents of Camden, New Jersey, a cash-strapped city just outside some of the state's wealthiest suburbs.I've reported on issues including immigration, addiction and recovery, urban renewal, poverty, homelessness. arts and culture, and politics. I've been recognized by the New Jersey Press Association for my columns, news and headline writing.In 2018, after seeing dozens of talented and hardworking colleagues in journalism laid off or forced to take buyouts, I decided it was time to leave my comfort zone and start learning something from scratch. I earned an associate's degree in web design/development and am currently pursuing a bachelor's degree in Digital Studies at Rutgers University-Camden.