Daniel Mollenkamp
Award-Winning Journalist & Researcher
Background
Award-winning enterprise reporter, feature writer and editor, focused on inequality, education and the policies that shape people’s lives.
2026 Chauncey Bailey Investigative Reporting Fellow for IRE, the most prestigious precision reporting association in the world, covering voucher schools in the U.S.
Experience across three continents, with a track record of blending deep research, policy analysis and narrative storytelling built on clever, stylish prose, and with a strong, human-focused narrative focus.
Contributed to regulation trackers on vaping, cannabis, gene editing, and the platform economy — tools used by regulators in both the U.S. and Europe. Conducted investigative work on the gambling industry.
Published in: The Guardian, USA Today, The 19th News, EdSurge, The Christian Science Monitor, Investopedia, Tennessee Lookout, Daily Yonder, Platforms-Intelligence, CBD-Intel, Tobacco Intelligence, Diplomatic Courier, as well as newspapers across the United States.
Articles
Parents struggle to find child care. School vouchers could make K-12 just as complicated.
An edtech company in the early childhood selection space is expanding to point families to private school options in K-12. The company argues that the lessons learned from the child care subsidy system could help families navigate private school options, too. But experts warn — because of the differences between these systems — it could muddy the waters instead.
Schools are using AI counselors to track students’ mental health. Is it safe?
Resource-strapped schools, especially in rural areas, are tapping AI-enabled platforms to assist with student mental health. Some say the students are more comfortable bringing their problems to AI than humans. The things they tell AI might surprise you. What does this mean for schools?
Does Solving Inequality in Education Mean Embracing ‘Birth Equity’?
We like to think of education as beginning in early childhood. But what if it starts earlier? Those who argue that inequality in birthing conditions negatively affects educational outcomes would say that education begins in the womb. It’s a challenge that edtech may be beginning to address.
* This story won a 2023 Regional Gold Award (Pacific) for enterprise reporting from the American Society of Business Publication Editors.
