Peter J. Rudy, Editor, Oklahoma Watchdog based in Oklahoma City.

Rudy is a native of East Syracuse, NY, but has spent the last 16 years outside the Empire State including nearly five in Oklahoma.  He comes to Oklahoma Watchdog after two years as Communications Director and Projects Manager for Oklahomans for Responsible Government, a non-profit group dedicated to improving transparency and fiscal responsibility in all levels of state government.  At OFRG, Rudy helped create the Blueprint for Transparency series that looked at how much information was being provided on the web by school districts, counties and municipalities.  He also compiled the Superintendent Salary Report that showed a $1.5-million increase in superintendent pay during a time of decreasing state revenues.

Prior to OFRG, Rudy was a radio news reporter for more than a dozen years in Flagstaff, Arizona (KVNA), Sioux City, Iowa (KSCJ), Bakersfield, California (KUZZ), and Oklahoma City (KTOK).  While at KTOK he covered the State Capitol for two complete legislative sessions and part of a third.  He has won numerous awards for his reporting including the 2003 Pat Davis Radio Reporter of the Year Award from the Associated Press of California and Nevada.

Rudy lives in Norman, OK, with his wife Debbie and their cat, MacArthur.  E-mail any questions or tips to peter@oklahomawatchdog.org.

Elizabeth Hillgrove is a staff writer, researcher for the Franklin Center and contributor to Oklahoma Watchdog.

Ms. Hillgrove’s passion for journalism and politics evolved from her interest in history and literature. Ms. Hillgrove received her training from the National Journalism Center in Washington, D.C. She then served as a beat reporter with the Washington Times before earning a Koch Summer Fellowship with the Sam Adams Alliance.

Ms. Hillgrove graduated from James Madison University with a major in English literature and a minor in Studio Art. Ms. Hillgrove’s artwork has been featured in several art shows in the Virginia area, in addition to her frontpage stories and bylines. She also dedicates some of her time volunteering with Christian and athletic groups.

To email Ms. Hillgrove, send to: elizabeth.hillgrove@franklincenterhq.org