Hello! I’m Melissa Pérez-Carrillo, and I’m excited to join Spotlight PA’s State College regional bureau as the local accountability reporter.
Before Spotlight PA, I reported on breaking news and public safety in Florida at the Sarasota Herald-Tribune for four years, where I scoured arrest logs and monitored internal affairs cases to uncover trends in police misconduct.
One of my proudest moments was fighting a court-ordered injunction from the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office three months into my first reporting job. The injunction came after I filed a public records request connected to a fatal shooting by a deputy. We fought for the right to publish the story and eventually won. It was a contentious start to my time in Sarasota, but it instilled in me the importance of public records and dogged reporting.
I grew up in Miami and attended the University of Central Florida. I started as a STEM major, but after realizing how much I missed creative writing, I started a music zine called “Debaserrr” with the help of my best friend and my brother. We interviewed local bands in South Florida, wrote about our favorite albums, and spoke to fans at shows. A semester later, I changed majors and became enamored with local reporting.
My background in computer science and math eventually came in handy as I dabbled in data journalism, using coding to streamline the collection of public records across my beat and analyzing numbers to uncover hidden patterns.
I’ll bring that experience to Spotlight PA to hold local governments accountable. I’m particularly interested in diving into public safety issues and how local agencies collaborate with the federal government on immigration enforcement. If something in your north-central Pennsylvania community doesn’t sit right with you, I want to hear about it. Tell me about what needs a closer look.
When I’m not working on a story, I enjoy reading while curled up with my cats, Shadow and Cloudy, antiquing, going to concerts, taking impromptu road trips, and drawing comics. Let me know the cool places to check out in central Pennsylvania.
Share tips and local recommendations with me at mperezcarrillo@spotlightpa.org or 267-618-6677.