Whitney Bryen

What I Cover
As an investigative reporter, I dig deep into public agencies in the Northwest to help you make sense of where your tax dollars are going and what your representatives are doing, or failing to do, with the power you entrusted to them. Right now, I’m most curious about what issues face those who struggle with poverty, mental health and addiction, why those challenges often lead to incarceration, and the ripple effects of that cycle. To answer those questions, I rely on data, public records and the people who have experienced those issues first-hand.

My Background
When I joined InvestigateWest in 2024, I moved across the country from my home state of Oklahoma to Boise, Idaho. But that wasn’t my first time moving away from home. After earning my journalism degree from the University of Oklahoma, I headed west to Colorado where I worked as a reporter for the Boulder Daily Camera and the Longmont Times-Call. In 2016, I took a yearlong hiatus to travel the country in a 1968 Silver Streak trailer before returning to Oklahoma where I cut my teeth as an investigative reporter and visual editor at Oklahoma Watch. My reporting on domestic violence, COVID-19 and the deadly toll of untreated mental illness on jail detainees moved state leaders to action and resulted in policy change.

Over the years, I’ve received dozens of state, regional and national awards. A few highlights include the Ben Blackstock Award for Commitment to Freedom of Information, the National Insight Award for Explanatory Journalism and the First Amendment Awards’ Defending the Disadvantaged prize.

When I’m not reporting, I love listening to podcasts and exploring the Pacific Northwest with my husband.

Ethics and Approach
As a journalist, my commitment to truth is unwavering, but I know that truth is rarely simple. It’s my responsibility to uncover facts and to provide you with varying perspectives. But equally crucial is how I present them. Every word matters.

An editor once told me to “embrace the complications.” People are complex and so are their experiences. Ensuring fairness and accuracy requires scrutiny but also patience. It means giving people the benefit of the doubt, and pressing them when the details don’t add up. It means being as transparent as possible about the harm I’m investigating and providing a space for them to respond.

For me, ethical journalism goes beyond simply reporting the facts — it’s about handling the truth with care, minimizing harm, and doing justice to the voices and stories entrusted to me.

Contact Me
If you have an experience to share or a tip you want me to investigate, please contact me.

Email: whitney@investigatewest.org
Phone: 208-918-2458
X: @whitneybryen
Facebook: Whitney Bryen
LinkedIn: Whitney Bryen
Signal: 208-918-2458