FOIA: What You Need to Know About the Freedom of Information Act
Thursday, June 12, 2025
12 p.m.
Public Library of Youngstown & Mahoning County
305 Wick Ave., Youngstown, Ohio
12 p.m.
Public Library of Youngstown & Mahoning County
305 Wick Ave., Youngstown, Ohio
Sponsored by The Public Library of Youngstown & Mahoning County
Join us for a compelling panel discussion on the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and its vital role in promoting transparency, accountability and an informed public. This event will bring together a panel of experts to explore how FOIA can be used as a powerful tool by both journalists and citizens to access government records.
Panelists will share practical tips, case studies, and insight into the challenges and opportunities involved in filing FOIA requests at the federal, state, and local levels. Whether you’re a reporter pursuing a lead, a community member seeking public records, or simply interested in open government, this event will provide valuable guidance on navigating the FOIA process and understanding your right to know.
Bring your questions—and leave empowered to dig deeper.
Cost is $30 for Youngstown Press Club members; $35 for non-members. Lunch is included
Advance registration is required; no walk-ins will be allowed.
Panelists will share practical tips, case studies, and insight into the challenges and opportunities involved in filing FOIA requests at the federal, state, and local levels. Whether you’re a reporter pursuing a lead, a community member seeking public records, or simply interested in open government, this event will provide valuable guidance on navigating the FOIA process and understanding your right to know.
Bring your questions—and leave empowered to dig deeper.
Cost is $30 for Youngstown Press Club members; $35 for non-members. Lunch is included
Advance registration is required; no walk-ins will be allowed.
Panelists for FOIA: What You Need to Know About the Freedom of Information Act
Mary Beth Earnheardt
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Mary Beth Earnheardt, Ph.D., is the chair of the Department of Strategic Communication and Media at Youngstown State University. In addition to her duties as chair, she is also a professor in the Anderson Journalism Program where she teaches communication law, journalism history and content creation.
She has published articles and book chapters on a diverse array of subjects including war reporting, political motives and the First Amendment. She resides in Liberty Township with her husband, Adam, and four children. |
Jack Fitzpatrick
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Jack Fitzpatrick covers Congress for Bloomberg Government. He's focused on the federal budget process since 2017, covering government funding, shutdowns, the debt limit, and tax bills. He regularly uses the Freedom of Information Act to obtain records about federal agency budgets and congressional oversight of the executive branch.
He's been a journalist in Washington, D.C., since 2013, and previously covered energy and environmental policy for Morning Consult and US House campaigns for National Journal. |
Mitch McKenney
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Mitch McKenney is an associate professor in Kent State University's School of Media and Journalism, where he is undergraduate and graduate coordinator. He teaches reporting, editing and ethics, manages student internships and previously was faculty adviser in the Kent Stater newsroom. Between 2011 and 2017, he led students on reporting trips to China, India, Brazil, Estonia, South Korea, Cyprus and Ghana.
His research focuses on editor strategies, most recently how today's diminished newsrooms can pry public records loose, deal with source requests to have stories removed and reshape themselves for today's realities. His last journalism gig was as an assigning editor at the Akron Beacon Journal, in metro and features, and he previously worked at The Palm Beach Post and Times-Union of Rochester, N.Y. His bachelor's in journalism and MBA are from Kent State. He lives in Hartville with his wife, Kim. They have three grown children. |
Lori Shells Simmons
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Lori Shells Simmons is Youngstown City Law Director. Prior to that role, she was with the Mahoning County Prosecutor’s Office for more than 30 years.
She attended the University of Akron, where she earned a bachelor of science degree and a master’s degree in public administration. In 1991 she earned a juris doctorate from Akron’s School of Law. After passing the bar, she joined the Mahoning County Prosecutor’s Office in 1991, where she worked in the juvenile and common pleas court divisions and the Mahoning County Children Services Board. Shells Simmons is avidly involved in the community, serving on several community boards, such as YSU’s Institutional Review Board, and has been a member of the Mahoning County and national bar associations, the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, the National Black Prosecutor’s Association, the Ohio Prosecutor’s Association and the National District Attorney’s Association. Very active in her church, New Bethel Baptist Church in Youngstown, she is a Deaconess. |
David Skolnick
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David Skolnick has worked as a newspaper reporter for 37 years, including the past 30 for The Vindicator.
After spending seven years at newspapers in New York state, he was hired in 1995 to work for The Vindicator. He spent the first five years covering Trumbull County, winning a number of state newspaper awards, including Best Use of a Public Record from the Ohio Society of Professional Journalists for using public documents in his investigative work into corruption at the Mahoning Valley Sanitary District, the area's main water district. His work led to state reforms at the district. In 2000, Skolnick was named the newspaper's politics writer, a position he still holds to this day. He is the second-longest tenured politics writer in the newspaper's history and has interviewed numerous leading national politicians. He has also spent more than 20 years as the Youngstown city government reporter. During that time, he has won several state journalism awards for his investigative, explanatory and deadline reporting and his use of public records. When the old Vindicator closed and was purchased in 2019 by Ogden Newspapers, Skolnick became the newspaper chain's top political reporter in Ohio. His articles and columns appear regularly in the chain's Ohio and West Virginia newspapers. Skolnick has covered seven presidential elections, is covering his seventh Ohio gubernatorial election and countless other races. CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, Roll Call, the Columbia Journalism Review and the National Journal, among others, have praised his reporting. He lives in Austintown with his wife, Elise. They have two daughters and three grandchildren. |
Adam Earnheardt
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Dr. Adam C. Earnheardt is a professor in the Department of Communication at Youngstown State University. He previously chaired the department from 2012 to 2020 and has held roles including special projects assistant to the University Provost and director of the graduate program in professional communication.
A scholar in the fields of communication, media and sports fandom, Earnheardt has co-authored numerous books and articles examining the relationships between sports, media, and fan behavior. His expertise extends to social media's impact on fandom, a subject on which he is frequently consulted by media outlets. As a respected academic, his work has been cited over 200 times in scholarly publications. His expertise has made him a sought-after commentator for various television and radio programs, with his insights appearing in publications including Psychology Today, Parade Magazine, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, and others. His professional service includes roles as executive director of the Ohio Communication Association, the National Society for Newspaper Columnists, and the Youngstown Press Club. As an educator, Earnheardt is praised by students for his engaging teaching style, personable approach, and ability to develop students' writing and communication skills. Among his notable interviews, Earnheardt has conducted conversations with former New York City Police Commissioner Ray Kelly and acclaimed author Margaret Atwood as part of Youngstown State University's Skeggs Lecture Series. |
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Register by June 5, 2025
Pre-registration required. No walk-ins.
The Youngstown Press Club does not issue refunds for cancellations. If you have signed up and can no longer attend, feel free to send someone in your place or let us know and we may offer your ticket to a student.
A portion of all proceeds from Youngstown Press Club events will go to the Youngstown Press Club Scholarship Fund.
If you'd rather not pay by credit card, you may register via email at [email protected] and pay by check made out to "Youngstown Press Club" and mailed to:
Youngstown Press Club
P.O. Box 2531
Youngstown, OH 44507
If paying by mail, let us know your payment is on its way by sending us an email at [email protected].
All payments must be made in advance of the event.
