Kibkabe Araya

In my nearly 15 years as a professional journalist, I have crafted compelling stories, innovated content strategies, and led editorial teams in producing impactful content. 

As a news reporter and editor at three legal news outlets, I interviewed over 100 chief legal officers, in-house counsel, and other professionals working within corporate legal departments from Fortune 500 corporations to unicorn startups. I also covered the business of law firms by reporting on workplace and regulatory trends in diversity, equity, and inclusion; privacy and data security; and health care.

Earlier in my career, I earned a health media fellowship to cover underreported communities battling chronic diseases in Seattle. I started my career with a multimedia journalism fellowship that brought me to Redding, California, where I delivered features and breaking news for a rural community. I also covered local news in nearby Sacramento, my second hometown. 

Outside of my news career, I am an emerging novelist and read several fiction and nonfiction books monthly. In 2016, I started shelit.com, a literary lifestyle blog analyzing stories by female authors. In 2022, I received an award from a literary nonprofit and Big Five book publisher for my young adult manuscript. 

I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in environmental policy from Spelman College in Atlanta, where I learned the power of being a changemaker at a historically Black women’s college. I earned a master’s degree from Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism while enjoying 125th Street in Harlem for cultural resets. Originally from Chicago, I took inspiration from local innovators such as Oprah Winfrey, Ida B. Wells-Barnett, Lorraine Hansberry, and Gwendolyn Brooks to pave my path as a storyteller. 

Topics of Interest

Business, Law, Corporate Diversity, Equity & Inclusion; Tech Accessibility, Privacy & Cybersecurity, Health Care & Advocacy, Education & Literacy 

Areas of Skill

News Writing & Editing, Feature Writing, Blog Writing, Interviews