Summary

As the news and public affairs producer for KNBA 90.3, I'm the lead news reporter for the first urban Indigenous radio broadcast station in the U.S. Primarily, I focus on Indigenous issues and policies as they affect Alaska Native, First Nations, Metis, Inuit and American Indian people in Alaska. By aggregating content from other public media organizations in the state and Lower 48, I build and host newscasts of Indigenous news and views for KNBA's newscasts five days a week -- including original interviews, reporting and writing, as well as contributing to National Native News and Alaska Public Media. I also book and schedule guests for 10-minute public affairs segment ("Our Community") during our Morning Line morning show.  

Previously I worked as a copy editor and page designer for about 12 years.

Professional Experience

News Director

July 2019 to Present
KNBA and Koahnic Broadcast Corporation, Anchorage, Alaska
  • Oversee an operating budget of about $75,000 including salaries, affiliation fees, and additional fees for acquisitions and stringers.
  • Produce weekday five-minute newscasts (7:30 a.m., repeats at noon) featuring news and reports from across Alaska. (2020-Present)
  • Developed sharing agreements out media outlets outside of Alaska, including: High Country News, Hakai Magazine and Searchlight New Mexico. (2020-Present)
  • Added a day to the morning newscast, for availability each weekday as well as added a repeat at noon.
  • Produce a four-day a week, three-minute newscast featuring news and reports from across the state of Alaska. Report on Alaska Native and Indigenous issues affecting Alaska. And maintain an updated web and social media presence. Currently working to create podcasts out of newscasts. Updated KNBA app to feature KNBA news.

Sensitivity Reader ~ Scientific American 'Protecting Alaska's Harvest'

November 2021, Karen Pinchin article forthcoming January 2022
Scientific American (contracted)
  • Provided suggested edits to references about Indigenous people in Alaska, subsistence practices and sovereignty to test for paralytic shellfish poisoning.

Guest Host/Producer ~ National Native News

August 2021
Koahnic Broadcast Corporation, Anchorage, Alaska
  • Produce and host nationally syndicated a daily 4-minute newscast highlighting news from around Indigenous communities on Turtle Island.

Creator/Host/Producer ~ Four Directions Music Show

May 2020 to June 2021
Four Directions Music Show, Anchorage, Alaska
  • Produce and host a 59-minute radio broadcast program that features contemporary Indigenous music. The show is produced to be used in 1, 2, 3-hour segments, and available to stations within Alaska. Currently airing on 90.3 KNBA and streaming via knba.org and the KNBA app (started April 25, 2020) and airs weekly on Saturdays. ​

Host/Producer/Reporter ~ Alaska Federation of Natives

Oct. 17-20, 2018; Oct. 16-19, 2019; Oct. 15-16, 2020
KNBA and Koahnic Broadcast Corporation, Anchorage, Alaska
  • Organized and coordinated coverage of virtual convention (2020)
    Trained contract producer to host and produce five-minute newscast for statewide and national distribution (2020).
  • Trained associate producer to develop and produce short spots and scripts to include in five-minute newscast (2019).
  • Reported and produced five-minute newscast for statewide and national distribution (2018, 2019, 2020). 
  • Live-hosted during national broadcast (2019).

Board Technician/Producer ~ INDIGIFI: Native Artists podcast

January 17, 2020 
Season 1, Episode 2: Tristan Agnauraq Morgan (published May 25, 2020)
  • Set up two-way call with INDIGIFI producer Alexis Sallee and Inupiaq artist Tristan Agnauraq Morgan. Operated board and recorded Morgan's side of the conversation.

Board Technician/Producer ~ Mothers of Invention podcast

April 2019 
Season 2, Episode 7: Arctic (published May 23, 2019)
  • Set up two-way call with Mothers of Invention podcast hosts Mary Robinson and Maeve Higgins, with Dalee Sambo Dorough in Anchorage, Alaska. Operated board and recorded Dorough's side of the conversation.

Producer ~ Election Night Coverage

November 6, 2018
Indian Country Today, Washington, D.C.
  • Produce for two five-to-10 minute segments from Alaska with correspondent Jennifer Canfield for five-hour national newscast broadcast by First Nations Experience (FNX) television, Native Voice One and Indian Country today.

News and Public Affairs Producer

September 2018 to July 2019
KNBA and Koahnic Broadcast Corporation, Anchorage, Alaska
  • Produce for morning show, Morning Line.
  • Booked and scheduled guests for Our Community segment
  • Scheduled and pre-recorded interviews for Our Community guests
  • Provide longform audio stories for airing during Morning Line.

Digital Media Editor

July 2016 to September 2018
KTOO, KXLL, KRNN, Juneau, Alaska
  • First contact for online engagement with readers, listeners and brand promotion via the company's web and social media portals. I manage multiple brands within the company, with a primary focus on Facebook and Twitter.
  • Studied, researched and recorded  metrics/analytic data to measure and track the success of our digital strategy.
  • Led the creation of tactical strategies and social media campaigns, integrating newsroom staff, advertising sales and audience engagement/circulation.
  • Researched new and emerging social media platforms to seek opportunities for innovation and development of new techniques.

Social Media Editor

April 2013 to July 2016
Quad-City Times, Davenport, Iowa
  • Helped brainstorm, develop and collaborate on Q-C Instagram app to look at the users with the most following (qctimes.com/qcfamous).
  • Aggregated Quad-City Times news coverage, social media, and other sources to create a comprehensive timeline of Prince's last week, beginning with his emergency landing in Moline, Illinois, after suffering flu-like symptoms.
  • Developed Instagram profile for Quad-City Times brand (April 2014), garnering 743 followers in less than eight months. This Instagram account now has more than 1,200 followers (May 2016). (instagram.com/qctimes)
  • Write daily blog on innovations and breaking news in social media and technology (qctimes.com/trippcrouse)
  • Live tweet political candidate interviews and live events.
  • Shoot and edit videos of political candidates interviewing with the Quad-City Times Editorial Board, to broadcast live to Periscope and to post on YouTube.
  • We currently (August 5, 2014) exceed Facebook's averages in numbers of people who like our page in seven of the categories: Women ages 25-34; 35-4; 45-54; 55-64; 65 and older; Men 35-44, 45-54, 55-64 and 65 and older.
  • Recognize online coverage gap on tech and social media trend news; started a blog linking out to coverage
  • Lead push to include more fan and crowd photos in online slideshows to promote on Facebook
  • Routinely work with online editor and morning online news editor to promote content via social Media
  • Monitor and curate 10 niche Twitter accounts for Quad-City Times.
  • June 28, 2013 ~ Presented “Lunch & Learn: Pinterest” to about 20 Quad-City Times and Lee Enterprise employees on getting started with Pinterest, some Do’s and Don’ts of Pinterest, how to grow followers and enrich your brand’s social media presentation by pinning products and visual links.
  • Work one-on-one with reporters to develop better social media habits
  • Train staff photographers in video production, editing, and building online photo galleries
  • Monitor qctimes.com for quality control
  • Grow current and new interactions with Quad-City Times social media including Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Tumblr, Instagram, etc.
  • Promoted news (Boston bombing and local flooding) via Facebook, increasing total reach from 25,483 (starting April 8) to 85,395 for a 235 percent increase during April 22, 2013 to April 28, 2013. 
  • Currently maintaining a 5,426-increase in people reached on Facebook since my start day or 30,909 people reached.
  • Our total Facebook Likes surpassed the 26,000 mark on April 24, 2013
  • Project ~ Mississippi River Flood 2013 Google map: Created a live, publicly-edited Google map displaying various flood photos and pinning them to corresponding location, which started April 18. You can view the map here.
  • Monitor and manage various Times Twitter accounts (e.g. @qctimes, @qctsocial, etc.) and overall reach via Twitter with a combined 25,000-plus followers over Times and staff accounts.
  • Provide feedback and tips to reporters to encourage their usage of Twitter, Facebook and other social media.
  • Expanded the Quad-City Times social media reach to include Pinterest and Tumblr. When I took over as social media editor the Times Pinterest had 281 followers and now has 350 followers. I reach out each day to find new Pins and to Like when followers re-pin our items. I also routinely promote local web content by building photo slides, uploading our front pages and Pinning our stories online.
  • Advocate the use of iPads in reporter coverage by recording and producing video with iPad and video-editing apps.
  • Live tweeted from annual Quad-City Times Salute to Sports award celebration honoring the area’s best high school athletes and inducting three entrants into the Quad-City Times Sports Hall of Fame.
Writer, freelance
October 2007 to July 2008
Geeks of Doom (geeksofdoom.com), Brooklyn, New York
  • Wrote about and reviewed popular culture content -- manga, film, cartoons, comics, etc.

News Page Designer

July 2006 to April 2013
Quad-City Times, Davenport, Iowa
  • Developed series of rail items for the Q-C Area (Metro) page that includes short news items, online promos and Facebook/Twitter interactions.
  • Lead designer for front page one to two nights a week.
  • Created uniform slugging convention and protocol to tone downloaded and wire photos.
  • Planned multimedia content for Young Athletes series, including Flash graphics for online.
  • Monitor qctimes.com for quality standards, fixing online assets and headlines as needed.
  • Shot, edited and produced video for qctimes.com online content, including popular Quadrants, Go&View and Sunday Paper Show series
  • Built a print timeline from Tweets, Facebook posts and reader comments about 2012 air show crash.

Copy Editor

May 2004 to July 2006
The News-Gazette, Champaign, Illinois
  • Lead designer on News and Local pages
  • Edited obituaries for News-Gazette local and Associated Press style
  • Created working style guide for editing obituaries for veterans of foreign wars, including medal designation and correct theater names.
  • Secondary lead designer at night, paginating two local sections a night
  • Designed feature pages including popular 'Superman Returns" front page
  • Participated in budget meetings to plan for the lead front page

Fellowships, grant proposals and workshops

Maynard 200 Fellowship: Empowering Journalists of Color ~ Executive Leadership (April 2021) 
Robert C. Maynard Institute, virtual 
  • Forty-four fellows selected as the third cohort of a diverse media professionals. Fellows represent a mix of mainstream, ethnic, local community and niche media and their entrepreneurial ventures. The fellowship provides training and year-long mentorship from top expert professionals (virtual fellowship)
Ocean + Climate virtual workshop (August 19-20, 2020)
Institute for Journalism and Natural Resources, virtual 
  • Listened to a host of experts from across the U.S. to discuss the complicated relationships between ocean and climate, the current impacts and future possibilities: Topics of conversation included climate change, pollution, blue carbon projects, environmental justice, shipping, tourism, energy, and global policy making. (two-day virtual workshop)
Feeling the Heat: Western Wildfire Regimes in a Changing Environment (October 10, 2019)
Institute for Journalism and Natural Resources, Fort Collins, Colorado 
  • Toured through forests and burned areas above Fort Collins and took a comprehensive look at fire in Colorado. Learned about history, wildland firefighting, climate change, fire weather and fire management. (Society for Environmental Journalism 2019 conference, one-day workshop)
Planting the Seeds for Better Indigenous Food Systems (September 15, 2019)
Institute for Journalism and Natural Resources, Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community, Minnesota 
  • One-day workshop with IJNR visiting the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community's Hocokata Ti cultural center and Wozupi Tribal gardens, and talk with community leaders about the history and vision for a sustainable future.(Native American Journalists Association 2019 conference)
Bristol Bay Institute (August 28-September 5, 2019)
Institute for Journalism and Natural Resources, Bristol Bay, Alaska 
  • One of about 10 journalists from all over the North America to attend a one-week training program for reporting on salmon ecosystems, the region's fisheries, proposed mining development, etc.

Awards

Native American Journalists Association

  • Second Place ~ Best Feature Story (Radio/Podcast -- Division II): "A largely Indigenous theater production transforms classic holiday tale in Tlingit Christmas Carol" (KNBA, 2021)
  • Second Place ~ Best News Story (Radio/Podcast - Division II): "Alaska ranks very low in 2020 Census self-response, but advocates remain optimistic" (KNBA, 2021)
  • Third Place ~ Best Health Coverage (Print/Online): "Tribal health programs take precautions against coronavirus" (KNBA, 2021)
    Third Place ~ General Excellence ~ (Radio/Podcast - Combined Division I and II): "Statues spark discussion about colonialism in Alaska" (KNBA, 2021)
  • Second Place ~ Best Feature Story (Radio/Podcast - Division II): Alaska Native producer wants to Indigenize the podcast (KNBA, 2020)
  • Second Place ~ Best News Story (Online - Division II): "Alaska Native corporation CIRI joins voices for Dunleavy recall" (KNBA, 2020)
  • Second Place ~ Best News Story (Online - Division III): "Young Indigenous activists l:ead climate justice action in Alaska" (High Country News, 2020)
  • Third Place ~ Best News Story (Radio/Podcast Professional Division II/III): Alaska Native language groups convene to translate census materials" (KNBA 2020)
  • First Place ~ Best Feature Story (Radio/Podcast - Division II): "Inuit throat singers" (KNBA, 2019)
  • Third Place ~  Best Feature Story (Radio/Podcast - Division II): "Maori Delegation to Alaska: It's Great to Be Native" (KNBA, 2019)
  • First Place ~ Best News Story (Radio/Podcast - Division II): "Tsimshian teacher fights to stay in ancestral territory" (KTOO, 2019)
  • Second Place (Tie) ~ Best News Story (Online - Division II):" Governor, lieutenant governor address Alaska Federation of Natives (KNBA, 2019)​​
  • First place ~ Best Radio Feature story: "Our Ancestors Returned Home: How a Chilkat Robe made its way back to Southeast Alaska"(KTOO, 2018)

Society of Professional Journalists ~ Northwest Division

  • Second Place ~ Small Newsroom Diversity Reporting: "Alaska Native language groups convene to translate census materials" (KNBA, 2020)
  • First Place ~ Feature Audio Reporting: "Inuit throat singers" (KNBA, 2019)
  • First place ~ Audio News Series: "Curious Juneau" (KTOO, 2018)​

Alaska Press Club

  • Third place ~ Radio: Best Arts Reporting: "Baby Yoda captures the hearts of Alaska Native artists" (KNBA, 2020)​

Organizations

FCC Communications Equity and Diversity Council
Working group member -- December 2021 to Present
Native American Journalists Association

  • Secretary, Board of Directors -- October 2021 to Present
  • Working group member -- December 2021 to Present
  • Chair, Governance Committee, Board of Directors -- September 2020 to Present
  • Member, Board of Directors -- September 2019 to Present
  • Member -- January 2017 to Present
​​​Native Public Media
  • Chair, Station Advisory Committee -- January 2019 to December 2020
  • Alaska representative, Station Advisory Committee -- January 2018 to December 2020
    • Three-year term representing at least 12 Native and/or tribal-based radio stations in Alaska
Alaska Press Club
  • Member -- January 2017 to Present
Alaska Native Media Group
  • Member -- September 2018 to Present​
​Indigenous Editors Association
  • Member -- June 2020 to Present
National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association
  • Member -- October 2019 to Present
Northwest Science Writers Association
  • Member -- October 2020 to Present
Society for Environmental Journalism
  • Member -- August 2020 to Present

Panels, presentations and papers

  • Finding Your Niche (June 26, 2021). Katie Barnes (ESPN Digital Features Writer) and Tripp Crouse (KNBA News Director. In this session, Barnes and Crouse will share their own experiences in carving out spaces for themselves in their newsrooms and telling the stories that matter to them, while offering advice for how students can find their own niche. (NLGJA Student Conference, virtual, Zoom)
  • Honoring 10,000+ Years of Storytelling (April 21, 2021). Ayyu Qassataq (Iñupiaq), Pauly Denetcla (Navajo), Tripp Crouse (Ojibwe), ‘Wáahlaal Gíidaak (Barbara) Blake (Haida/Tlingit/Ahtna) and Victoria Petersen, host. Alaska Press Club 2021 panel. Indigenous peoples across the world are the living embodiment of storytelling traditions spanning thousands of years. This panel will discuss the sacred nature of these traditions and engage in #realtalk about where mainstream media gets it right and wrong when reporting on our communities. (Alaska Press Club, Virtual, Zoom)
  • Allies Against Racism: Bridging the Divide ~ Journalists of Color in Conversation (April 17, 2021). A virtual panel discussion on the current and critical issues related to racism. (NABJ-Los Angeles, Zoom) 
  • Indigenous Voices and Media Literacy (April 15, 2021). Led a virtual discussion with about students in University of Alaska Anchorage Media Literacy journalism class (Instructor: Paola Banchero) around  best practices when reporting on Indigenous stories and sourcing reportage of Indigenous issues. (Banchero, University of Alaska Anchorage, Zoom) 
  • Indigenizing reporting, journalism and best practices (December 16, 2020). Led a discussion with about 12 participants around training and consultation on best practices when reporting on Indigenous stories and sourcing reportage of Indigenous issues. (IndigiNews, Zoom) 
  • "We Exist: Beyond the Binary" panel (November, 20, 2020). Will Bean (chair), Tripp Crouse and Anya Tyrell. Anchorage Museum panel to discuss the gender/sexuality binaries from an Indigenous perspective and the film "We Exist-- Beyond the Binary" (Anchorage Museum, University of Alaska Anchorage and Native Movement, Zoom)
  • Reporting on Indigenous communities, climate change and environmental reporting (October 22, 2020) Talk with professor Emilia Askari's University of Michigan journalism students.
  • Tribes Flex Legal Muscles: Can They Impact Public Lands Too? (September 16, 2020). Deb Kroll (chair), Tripp Crouse, Matthew Campbell, Paul DeMain and Chuck Hudson. Society for Environmental Journalism panel to discuss Tribal legal issues and policies around public lands. (Society for Environmental Journalism virtual conference, Zoom)
  • Exploring Identity (August 5, 2020). Tripp Crouse and Princess Daazhraii Johnson. First Alaskans Institute panel to talk about the complicated levels of identity from an Alaska Native and American Indian framework to a cohort of summer interns placed throughout the state. (online, Zoom)
  • Decolonizing Science Communication (June 17, 2020). Tripp Crouse and Deb Kroll. Northwest Science Writers Association panel to offer guidelines, discuss experience and answer questions on covering and writing about science issues within Indigenous communities. (online, Zoom)
  • (canceled, coronavirus) Foundation of Genders: Addressing Violence in Alaska (March 21, 2020) Interactive panel from divers backgrounds to engage in solution-building dialogue on addressing gender-based violence in Alaska. Anchorage, AK.
  • (canceled, coronavirus) Decolonizing the way we report on MMIW (April 2020). Alaska Press Club panel discussion on reporting on Alaska Native and Indigenous justice issues, particularly gender-based violence. Tripp J Crouse (Ojibwe, chair) with Charlene Aqpik Apok (Inupiaq), Kelsey Wallace (Yup’ik) and Rochelle Adams (Gwich’in). Anchorage, AK. 
  • Telling Your Corporate Story (June 2019). Glenn, Alice, Howdice Brown and Tripp Crouse. Alaska Native Media Group panel discussion for Alaska Native Village Corporation Association luncheon. Anchorage, AK.
  • How to Navigate the World of Alaska Native Corporations and Tribal Organizations (April 2019). Crouse, Tripp, Joaqlin Estus and Angela Gonzalez. Alaska Native Media Group panel discussion for Alaska Press Club, Anchorage, AK.
  • Evolution of social media and building better relationships with the media (May 2019). Crouse, Tripp (chair), Jonathan Butske, Alice Qannik Glenn and Angela Jenkins. Alaska Native Media Group panel discussion for Alaska Native Village Corporation Association annual business meeting, Anchorage, AK.

Conferences attended

Alaska Broadcasters Association - November 2018
Alaska Press Club - April 2018
Native Broadcast Summit - April 2018

​Alaska Press Club - April 2019
Native Broadcast Summit - April 2019
Native American Journalists Association - September 2019
Alaska Broadcasters Association - 2019
Society for Environmental Journalists - October 2019

Society for Environmental Journalists - September 2020, virtual
Alaska Broadcasters Association ~ November 2020, virtual

Alaska Press Club ~ April 2021, virtual

Education

Bachelor's of Arts ~ English & Literature

Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Illinois
Graduated December 2003
Organizations: Southern Illinois Hockey Club, Native American Student Organization, Daily Egyptian student newspaper, and Eta Beta Chapter of Eta Sigma Phi (Classics studies)

Transfer ~ English

Lake Land College, Mattoon, Illinois
Spring 1999 – Fall 2002
Organizations: Student Life, Navigator student newspaper

Skills & Abilities

Adobe PhotoShop ~ 16 years
Quark Xpress ~ 12 years
Microsoft Office ~ 15 years
Adobe InDesign ~ 8 years
ACT Edit ~ 6 years
Adobe Illustrator ~ 5 years
Saxo Press ~ 2 years
Adobe Premiere ~ 6 years
Video Editing ~ 6 years
Online Production ~ 6 years
Social Media ~ 6 years
Copy Editing ~ 16 years
AP Style ~ 16 years
Coaching ~ 6 years
Reporting ~ 6 years
Management/Training ~ 3 years
Slideshare ~ 1 year
Adobe Audition 3/CS ~ 3 years
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