New Hire Spotlight: Katherine Ellen Foley

POLITICO is growing – since 2020, we’ve grown from 535 employees to 690 employees. Each week as part of our New Hire Spotlight series, we’ll profile new POLITICOs who have joined the organization over the past year and ask them about their roles, their experiences and why they chose POLITICO! Today we're profiling Katherine Ellen Foley, FDA Reporter.

What is your name and title?
Katherine Ellen Foley, and I’m a reporter on the health care team covering FDA.

What’s something that’s been a part of your work from home routine over the past year and a half?
Taking a “lunch” break outside has been huge for me. Sometimes, that’ll be a quick lunch run around my neighborhood, or even just some hill repeats (I’m up in Northeast where we actually have a few hills). Other times, I’ll do some weeding or other minor gardening, or I’ll just walk and listen to an audiobook or nothing at all. Getting a little bit of sunshine, fresh air and greenery is exactly the kind of mental break that brightens up the afternoon.

I also have made a point to take at least five stretch breaks throughout the day. They’re short – 3 min or so, which I time by playing a song – but that kind of intentional mini-break really helps me with task switching more efficiently.

How did you end up at POLITICO? What drew you to want to work here?
Previously, I’ve covered health and medical research extensively — a lot of reading papers and talking to researchers about their work. I came to POLITICO looking to combine that experience and skillset with political reporting. In a lot of ways, it’s similar; it’s a lot of about making connections between people and agencies, and asking questions others aren’t. But it’s also a wonderful opportunity to flex new reporting muscles focused on a single agency, which I’ve really been enjoying.

Tell us about your role and team. What’s your favorite thing about your job so far?
I’m one of three FDA reporters on the health care team, and I’m thrilled to be surrounded by such amazing team mates. Broadly, I cover new drugs and biologics (which has recently been a lot of the contentious drug Aduhelm), tobacco and the hunt for a permanent FDA commissioner.

Aside from the beat itself, my favorite thing has been my coworkers. They’re brilliant, generous with their time and always willing to collaborate.

What’s your experience been starting a new role virtually?
It’s different! It’s a lot of Zoom. The thing I miss most is being able to run into people in the hallways and strike up a conversation with colleagues on my team or others, but I’ve been grateful to meet people for 1:1 phone calls and/or coffees or work sessions.

How do you exemplify POLITICO’s values?
In my spare time, I love running; I co-lead the DC chapter of November Project, a free, community-based running group that meets outdoors for runs at the Lincoln and at other spots around town on Wednesday and Friday mornings. (Please come! It’s fun, and all levels are welcome! Ping me for details!!!)

A lot of the things I love about participating in a running community are what I love about journalism: Running and reporting can be individual activities, for sure, but they’re elevated so much by being on a team. There are so many opportunities to contribute to something bigger than just a personal project. Your colleagues and their hard work can inspire you, and you can elevate the team by stepping up to new challenges when you need to. You can collaborate and combine your talents to achieve something that’d be a lot harder for you on your own, and there are endless opportunities to keep growing your talent no matter where you are in your career.

Thank you for your insight, Katherine. We're happy to have you here at POLITICO!
Have a question or want to connect with the POLITICO Careers team? Email us at [email protected]. Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter (@politicocareers) and Instagram (@politicocareers) for updates on all things POLITICO!