The Maine Monitor and its publisher, The Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting, are pleased to welcome a new addition to the independent, nonprofit news organization.
Taylor Nichols joins The Monitor as a Roy W. Howard Fellow through the Scripps Howard Fund and will cover statewide housing issues. Prior to joining The Monitor, Nichols worked for the Howard Center for Investigative Journalism at the University of Maryland while completing her master’s degree in data journalism. She also covered housing for Street Sense Media in Washington, D.C.
Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, Nichols has experienced firsthand how a rapidly growing housing crisis can reshape communities. As thousands flocked to Seattle for tech jobs, she saw rising costs push housing out of reach for many residents.
She became a higher education and workforce reporter during the pandemic, analyzing salary data and labor market trends to help students make informed decisions about their future. These experiences will help her tell the stories behind the data — exploring not just what’s happening, but how it’s changing the way people live their lives.
She is passionate about making data publicly available and easy to understand, and believes in using local reporting to empower residents to create change in their communities. Her work has been recognized by Investigative Reporters and Editors, the Society of Professional Journalists and the Pulitzer Center.
As a new resident of southern Maine, she’s looking forward to trying new hiking trails and visiting every bookstore she can find.
The Scripps Howard Foundation was established in 1962 to advance charitable causes important to The E.W. Scripps Company and the Scripps and Howard families. The fellowships, which are awarded to graduates of the Howard Centers for Investigative Journalism at the University of Maryland and Arizona State University, honor Roy W. Howard, former chairman of the Scripps Howard newspaper chain and a pioneering news reporter.
Have a story idea for Taylor? Email her at taylor@themainemonitor.org or fill out our contact form.