Stefanie Ritoper

Stefanie Ritoper is a producer for LAist’s early childhood coverage, who uses engagement-driven journalism to bring voices from parents, caregivers, and educators into the newsroom. She has led award-winning projects, including “Child Care, Unfiltered,” which turned child care providers’ photos into a series of audio stories, photo essays, events, and art installations around Southern California.

For close to 20 years, Stefanie has explored the intersection of media and civic engagement. She started her career in documentary filmmaking, and then moved into long-form podcast audio and multimedia storytelling. She has a master’s degree in city planning from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where she focused on digital media tools and public participation.