Bente Birkeland

Public Affairs Reporter

@BenteBirkeland[email protected]

Bente is an award-winning journalist who joined Colorado Public Radio in August 2018 after a decade of reporting on the Colorado state capitol for the Rocky Mountain Community Radio collaborative and KUNC. In 2017, Bente was named Colorado Journalist of the Year by the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ), and she was awarded with a National Investigative Reporting Award by SPJ a year later.

Professional Background:

Before joining CPR and KUNC, she was a reporter at KMOX Radio and KOMU TV, and also worked as a research analyst for the U.S. Department of Justice.

Awards:

In 2017, Bente was named Colorado Journalist of the Year by the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ), and she was awarded with a National Investigative Reporting Award by SPJ a year later. She also won an Edward R. Murrow Award in 2015 for her work on KRCC's series on the Southwest Chief, "Railroad West."

Throughout her career, Bente has been honored with various accolades from the Colorado Broadcaster's Association, the Association of Statehouse Reporter and Editors, the Third Coast International Audio Festival, the U.S. Department of Justice, the Mortar Board National Honorary Society and the Omicron Delta Epsilon International Economics Honorary Society.

Education:

Bachelor's degree economics with a mathematical emphasis, University of Wisconsin-Madison; Master's degree in journalism, University of Missouri

Jared Polis in a grey suit blue tie at a podium speaking into a mic with a man in glasses and a table and flag behind him
Colorado Matters

A special session, a hiring freeze, a looming AI law, and some state lawmakers’ bad behavior

Normally things are quiet at the state legislature this time of year… but instead there is a lot going on right now. A special session will need to resolve another billion dollar budget gap; there’s a state hiring freeze; a looming AI law critics say needs fixing; and some bad behavior among lawmakers. Ahead of next week’s special session, CPR public affairs reporter Bente Birkeland spoke with Ryan Warner.
By Bente Birkeland