Matthew Leonard is a senior reporter for Civil Beat, focusing on data journalism.

He joined the newsroom after more than a decade working in upstate New York and in Nashville. As the Investigations and Special Projects Editor for the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, Matthew supervised investigations into policing and justice, racial and health disparities and social and environmental justice issues across New York state. He was heavily involved in overhauling the organization’s coverage of public safety issues to be more equitable and inclusive.

Born in Sydney, Matthew worked for Australia’s national broadcaster and for several Indigenous media and cultural organizations, including in remote homeland communities. He spent five years at Radio New Zealand where he was able to pursue his interest in the cultures of the Pacific. A major project completed during his time in Aotearoa/New Zealand documented the last remnants of old growth forests and their cultural and ecological significance. 

Matthew originally studied music composition and performance before making his way into public broadcasting, and continues to have a strong interest in music, sound design and audio production. He is a keen ocean swimmer, amateur musician and cooks a mean chili. 

Follow Matthew on Twitter @mleonardmedia or email him at mleonard@civilbeat.org. Contact him for how to share news tips securely.