Sasha-Ann Simons joined the team at WXXI News as a Multimedia Reporter/Producer. She most often tells stories about the innovation economy and technology in upstate New York as part of a journalism collaborative, and is a fill-in host and regular contributor to WXXI-TV's weekly news magazine program, Need To Know.
Denise Young is editor of the local journalism collaborative in the WXXI news department. She manages the Innovation Trail as part of a multi-state journalism collaborative and is responsible for the Upstate Insight project, which involves coverage by several upstate New York public radio and TV stations. Denise has more than 20 years of experience in print journalism, most recently serving as content coach for storytelling with the Democrat & Chronicle newspaper in Rochester. She led digital initiatives such as the RocRoots local history project for the D&C, and she has extensive experience working with community partners and freelancers. She received her degree in magazine journalism from Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications.