Fedor Zarkhin | The Oregonian/OregonLive

I’m The Oregonian’s health reporter, with a background in data and investigative journalism and a penchant for stories that make people empathize with one another and recognize our common humanity. I came to journalism by way of a degree in comparative literature and two years teaching English abroad, discovering in the process that writing about and connecting with people while trying to help make the world a little bit of a better place is fun AND fulfilling. Upon completing a Master’s in journalism, I spent about a year as a data reporter on the Palm Beach Post’s investigative team, where I contributed to major data projects and pursued some of my own. In 2014, I joined The Oregonian’s investigative team as a data journalist, working with reporters across the newsroom on projects large and small, before launching on several large ones of my own. Some award-winning stories and series included an investigation of Portland developers failing to remove asbestos before demolishing old homes, the state concealing abuse findings at elder care facilities from consumers, and a state program that employed an insurance company to kick people with mental illness out of the facilities that kept them safe. Since late 2019 I’ve been covering health, including throughout all of the pandemic, with in-depth coverage of the human toll and investigations focused on government accountability. Now that the pandemic is more or less over, I am open to covering any and all things health, so feel free to get in touch!