Mike Reilley

Mike Reilley is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Communication at the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC), part of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. He specializes in data and digital journalism, teaching courses that produce content for the award-winning RedLineProject.news. Previously, he served as faculty at Northwestern University, Arizona State University, and DePaul University, and held roles as a reporter at the LA Times and founding editor of ChicagoTribune.com.

Education:

• Bachelor of Journalism (BJ), University of Nebraska-Lincoln
• Master of Science in Journalism (MSJ), Northwestern University

Research & Expertise: Focuses on integrating digital tools and AI into journalism education and practice. His work emphasizes training journalists in data reporting, Google News Initiative tools, and ethical AI applications. He founded The Journalist's Toolbox™ AI, a research site, and Penny Press Digital LLC, a consulting firm.

Publications: Authored two books on data journalism and AI in media, with a focus on practical guides for journalists and educators.

Advising & Grants: No specific grants or advisees listed, but he has trained over 12,500 journalists via digital tool workshops. His consulting work supports media outlets like USA Today.

Labs & Teams: Leads the RedLineProject.news and The Journalist's Toolbox™ AI initiatives, fostering collaborative journalism and tech innovation.