Emma is a digital journalism leader with experience in audience engagement, visual storytelling and editorial product management. Currently, she is the Managing Editor overseeing visuals, digital, audience and breaking news for The Baltimore Banner.
She is a proud graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and is originally from the Tar Heel state. Prior to joining The Baltimore Banner, Patti Harris was the Deputy Managing Editor for Visual and Immersive Experiences at Education Week and lead their multi-platform digital redesign. She also worked at The Baltimore Sun for five years, leading the audience, social media, interactive design and visuals teams and helping the organization become a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize after the death of Freddie Gray and the riots in Baltimore. Her professional background includes positions in web development and multimedia at Baltimore Magazine, Bethesda Magazine, Arlington Magazine and Washingtonian.
In addition, she was chosen to attend the Poynter Leadership Academy for Women in Digital Media in St. Petersburg, Fla. in 2017. Patti Harris continues to work with Digital Women Leaders and the UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media to mentor the next generation of journalism leaders and early career journalists.
She lives with her son, 3 dogs and 57 house plants in Baltimore, Md.
Notable Awards & Honors
2016 Pulitzer Prize finalist
Breaking news, For coverage following the death of Freddie Gray
2020 Education Writers Association, Eddie Prize, “A Year Interrupted”
2019 News Leaders Association, Al Neuharth Breaking News Reporting Award, Attack on Capital Gazette
2019 National Press Club Award, Breaking News, Coverage of the attack on the Capital Gazette
2018 Society for Professional Journalists, Sigma Delta Chi Award, Coverage of the attack on the Capital Gazette
2016 National Press Club Award, Breaking News, Coverage of the unrest and the death of Freddie Gray
2016 National Headliner Award, First Place, Spot News, “Baltimore Riots and the Freddie Gray case”
2015 Online Journalism Awards, Breaking News, Freddie Gray coverage
2015 Society for News Design, Award of Excellence, Breaking/Daily news: Non-planned coverage, Freddie Gray and the Baltimore riots
2015 Society for News Design, Award of Excellence, Features: Single-subject project, Unsettled Journeys
2015 Society for News Design, Award of Excellence, Use of multimedia, Unsettled Journeys
2014 Society of News Design, Award of Excellence, "Undue Force"
Other awards:
2019 Society for Features Journalism, Second Place, Integrated Storytelling, The Wait
2017 Society for News Design, Award of Excellence, Single-subject project, Shoot to Kill
2017 Society for News Design, Award of Excellence, Single-subject project, Korryn Gaines: The 6-Hour Police Standoff
2017 Society for News Design, Award of Excellence, Graphics: Features or planned coverage, Shocking Force
2016 Society in Features Journalism, First Place, Integrated Storytelling, Fitness Heroes
2016 Online Journalism Awards, Explanatory Reporting, finalist, "Shocking Force"
2016 Online Journalism Awards, Topical Reporting, finalist, "Violence in Baltimore"
2016 Online Journalism Awards, Feature, finalist, "Unsettled Journeys"
2016 National Headliner Awards, Second place, “Unsettled Journeys”
2015 Online Journalism Awards, Investigative Journalism, finalist, "Undue Force"
2011 City and Regional Magazine Association, Honorable Mention for Multimedia
2010 City and Regional Magazine Association, Gold Medal for Multimedia
2010 Webby Awards, Nominee, Student Category, "Hardship & Hope"
2009 NC Press Photographers Association, Honorable Mention for Multimedia
2009 Society for News Design, Best of Multimedia Design Award of Excellence, "Cape Fear to Down Here"
2009 Horizon Interactive Award, Best in Category, College & University, "Cape Fear to Down Here"
2009 NPPA Best of Photojournalism, 1st Place, News or Feature Multimedia Package, "Cape Fear to Down Here"
2009 College Photographer of the Year, Silver Medal, "Hardship & Hope"
Teaching Experience
Fall 2020 - Spring 2022 Interactive Design & Development, University of Maryland Philip Merrill College of Journalism
Spring, Fall 2015-2017 - Mass Media Graphics, Towson University
Summer 2013, Spring 2014, & Summer 2014 - Video Journalism, Georgetown University, Master of Professional Studies in Journalism, School of Continuing Studies
Fall 2013, 2014 - Multimedia Storytelling, Georgetown University, Master of Professional Studies in Journalism, School of Continuing Studies
Speaking Engagements
September 2019 - ONA, “Giving Voice to Your Audio: How to Incorporate Audio Into Your Newsroom.” Learn more about the session.
May 2018 - Maryland Delaware D.C. Press Association, “Visualizing Data & Tools to Use”
September 2015 - Refresh Baltimore, "Beyond the Bar Chart: Visual journalism for a digital audience"
November 2013 - Georgetown University Innovation Series Storytelling Summit, "Multimedia Storytelling, Theory and Practice
September 2013 - Georgetown University School of Continuing Studies, "Photo Walk-Architecture"
April 2013 - American University Social Learning Summit,
"The Online Times"
News
Baltimore Fishbowl: The Sun newsroom to undergo reorganization, but some details remain unclear
The Daily Tar Heel: National Championship paper ‘one of my proudest moments’
Poynter: Meet the 2017 Leadership Academy for Women in Digital Media
Poynter: Advice for women in local news from women in local news
Poynter: Here’s why journalists stay in the business
Charles Apple: Nine days in Baltimore
Good Reads: Making a Book Trailer