Phoebe Zerwick is an award-winning investigative journalist, narrative writer, and college professor. Her writing has appeared in O, The Oprah Magazine; National Geographic; The Nation; the Winston-Salem Journal; and Glamour, among other publications. Her work has been recognized by the Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard University, Investigative Reporters and Editors, the Society of Professional Journalists, Columbia University, and the North Carolina Press Association and featured in the HBO documentary "The Trials of Darryl Hunt." A graduate of the Journalism School at Columbia University, Zerwick is the director of the journalism program at Wake Forest University, where she teaches writing and journalism, including courses taught at the law school in collaboration with the director of Wake Forest's Innocence & Justice Clinic. She lives in Winston-Salem, N.C. with her husband, a dog and three cats. Between them, they have three grown children.
Awards
Society of Professional Journalists, Sigma Delta Chi award for excellence in journalism for papers under 100,000 circulation, 2003.
Investigative Reporters and Editors, investigative reporting award for papers under 100,000 circulation, 2004.
Columbia University, Paul Tobenkin Award for outstanding achievement covering race, 2004.
Newspaper Association of America, 20 under 40 annual leadership award, 1999.
Society of Professional Journalists, Public Service Award in 1999, for a staff entry on race relations.
N.C. Press Association, first place in news enterprise reporting and second place in public service, 1998, for a staff entry on race relations.
Society of Professional Journalists, Public Service Award in 1997, for a series of stories on infant mortality.
Society of American Business Editors and Writers, spot news award, for a staff entry about the 1997 tobacco settlement.
North Carolina Working Press Association, 1996, best medical story.
North Carolina Press Association, 1991, third place in news for reporting on infant mortality.
The Humanities Institute at Wake Forest University, project grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities for a multimedia, web-based documentary “Story of My Life,” which follows the lives of six disabled adults.
Wake Forest University, Archie Grant for a web-based, multimedia documentary on sacred rivers.
The Society of Professional Journalists, Green Eyeshade staff award for a multimedia presentation of the 2008 Winston-Salem Journal series “Murders at Grassy Creek.”
The Arts Council of Winston-Salem Forsyth County, project grant for a documentary on the Yadkin River, funded through the Yadkin Riverkeeper, September 2009.
The Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard University, Notable Narrative selection for an article on domestic violence published in O, The Oprah Magazine, August 2009.
N.C. Humanities Council, project grant for a documentary project on the Yadkin River, funded through the Yadkin Riverkeeper, June 2009.
N.C. Press Association, first place investigative reporting, 2006.
Society of Professional Journalists, Sigma Delta Chi award for excellence in journalism for papers under 100,000 circulation, 2005.