Bridge expansion continues with hiring of two reporters, membership director

• Bridge is beefing up education and health coverage with the hiring of award-winning reporters Kim Kozlowski and Eli Newman
• Veteran nonprofit leader Sally Freels will lead membership and individual fundraising efforts
• The hirings culminate an expansion that began last year and positions Bridge for the future

Bridge Michigan’s latest expansion culminated Monday with the announcements of two reporters to enhance education and health coverage and an executive to grow membership and individual fundraising.

Health Reporter Eli Newman and Membership and Individual Giving Director Sally Freels joined the staff on Monday, while Education Reporter Kim Kozlowski will follow on July 7.

The hires follow a spate of growth at Michigan’s largest nonprofit newsroom that this year has included the hiring of a Regional Editor to enhance coverage in west and northern Michigan and an Outdoors Life Reporter.

The expansion increases Bridge’s staff to 28, including five editors and 13 reporters. Bridge now has three reporters covering Lansing and politics; two apiece covering health, education and environment, as well ones covering business, breaking news, special projects and data.

Related:

• Bridge Michigan adds regional editor, outdoors reporter, plans expansion
• Bridge Michigan growth continues. Kathy Kieliszewski to help lead newsroom

The growth comes amid uncertainty and downsizing in traditional media and signals Bridge Michigan’s commitment to improving the state through journalism and public engagement, said Chief Executive Officer Katy Locker.

“Bridge is incredibly grateful to our donors and members for allowing us to invest in the future,” Locker said. “We are in a strong financial position because of their generosity, and we’re committed to investing in great journalism.”

Kozlowski is a 25-year veteran of The Detroit News and one of Michigan’s most decorated education reporters, including being named the Detroit Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists’ 2021 Journalist of the Year. She has been honored with three fellowships and recently was inducted into the Eastern Echo Hall of Fame, which recognizes alumni of the student newspaper of her alma mater, Eastern Michigan University.

Known for her investigations into higher education, Kozlowski will work alongside Education Reporter Isabel Lohman to report on colleges, universities, K-12 and special education.

Newman was a reporter and producer at Detroit Public Radio station WDET for nine years and most recently was assistant news director and producer at NPR member station WKAR in East Lansing. An award-winning reporter, Newman is adept at data visualization and multimedia storytelling.

The University of Michigan alumnus will work closely with Health Reporter Robin Erb and expand Bridge’s video storytelling and engagement. 

Freels has more than 25 years of experience in fundraising, donor relations and membership development. She’s held fundraising and engagement leadership positions at the Girl Scouts of Southeastern Michigan, Detroit Institute of Arts, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, and Cranbrook Educational Community.

At Bridge, Freels is expected to enhance membership experiences, build donor pipelines, grow philanthropic support  and design strategic initiatives. She has degrees from the University of Utah and Regis University in Denver.

The hires cap a period of dizzying growth at Bridge, which in 2016 had a staff of less than 10 and published twice a week. 

Bridge now publishes seven days a week and offers separate newsletters devoted to daily news, politics, education, health, business, environment and the outdoors. This week, two more newsletters join the list, Bridge Michigan Westside and Northern editions. (Click here to sign up for newsletters.)

Already this year, Bridge hired Justin Hinkley as Regional Editor and Laura Herberg as Outdoors Life Reporter.  

The latest additions mark the final piece of a newsroom reorganization that began in 2024 and is designed to grow Bridge on different media platforms and increase opportunities to engage with readers.