Joe Dana is a multi-media journalist in Phoenix covering public education, energy policy and climate.
Reports on schools examine:
-funding, academics and policy debates in the nation's first universal private voucher program, launched in 2023
-how federal, state and local tax dollars support three systems of education in Arizona (school districts, charter schools, ESA private vouchers)
-how billions of dollars flows from the state, to private voucher accounts, and then to education vendors, tutors, and retailers like Amazon. This multi-year investigation has led to an ongoing public records lawsuit brought by investigative reporter/colleague Craig Harris against the AZ Superintendent and Treasurer.
Joe's series, Power & Influence, examines climate and justice concerns in Arizona's energy sector. His stories exposed faulty customer service at Arizona's largest utility in 2019, prompting a $25 million class settlement. A 2025 investigation about utility shut-off deaths during extreme heat was credited by the AZ Attorney General for helping lead to a $7 million civil settlement for low-income customers.
Joe gets easily distracted, chasing random stories about stuff like birdwatching technology, the science of art therapy and what its like to walk Arizona's first barefoot forest trail.