The Marshall Project, the Pulitzer-winning nonprofit media organization covering criminal justice, has hired Kristin Bausch and Chris Vazquez as audience engagement producers.
In these new roles, Bausch and Vazquez will work together to ensure The Marshall Project continues to strengthen its connection with its current audiences, under the guidance of Audience Director Ashley Dye. They will also focus on reaching prospective readers and viewers, especially underserved groups like younger generations and people who are currently or formerly incarcerated and their families.
As audience engagement producers, Bausch and Vazquez will craft compelling video, engaging visuals and sharp copy to share The Marshall Project’s journalism on social media platforms like Instagram, TikTok and Reddit. They will also collaborate with editorial colleagues on big project rollouts and organize Reddit AMAs and TikTok Lives. They will both report to Dye, but will also support Newsletter Manager Rachel Kincaid and Engagement Editor Nicole Lewis in related projects.
Bausch comes to The Marshall Project from USA Today, where she was previously an audience editor. There, she sharpened her social graphic design skills and her astute sense of social platforms’ interests and communication styles. She specializes in engaging audiences with informative Instagram carousel posts and TikTok videos, as well as YouTube posts, email and more. She previously launched an SMS service for WUFT News to connect with economically underrepresented and rural communities in North Central Florida.
Vazquez joins The Marshall Project from The Washington Post, where he was an associate TikTok producer. In this role, he was often seen on screen, garnering a community of younger viewers as he broke down hard news and created the Variant Cover series on comics and identity. He also improved accessibility of the videos, coordinated TikTok Lives with reporters and is a strong producer of horizontal video.
“Chris’ blend of humor and sharp news judgment makes for fascinating social video, particularly on TikTok. Kristin has a knack for clear, inventive social graphic design and understanding platforms’ distinct communication and interests,” Dye said. “I’m overjoyed that Chris and Kristin will play a large role in our efforts to share The Marshall Project’s journalism in myriad, compelling ways without sacrificing nuance, and to hear back from more audiences nationwide and locally.”
Bausch and Vazquez’s first day with The Marshall Project is July 10.
