Fresno – Esther Quintanilla has joined the Central Valley Journalism Collaborative (CVJC) as a reporter focused on covering English language learner communities and multilingual education in the central San Joaquin Valley. She officially began her role on January 6.

She’s previously reported with KVPR through the Central Valley News Collaborative, a partnership between The Fresno Bee, Vida en el Valle, KVPR and Radio Bilingüe. Her work has been featured on KQED, NPR and Radio Bilingüe. Her stories on farmworkers, the Central Valley floods, and the closure of Madera Community Hospital earned her three Golden Mike awards and two regional Edward R. Murrow awards.

“We are thrilled to welcome Esther to the team,” said Joe Kieta, executive editor of CVJC. “As an English language learner herself, she has a unique perspective on the issues these students face. Her education coverage will help fill in a blind spot for local news and will be offered to news organizations throughout the region.”