Rachel Madison is pursuing her master's in Journalism and Media at the University of Texas at Austin. She graduated from Tufts University in 2022 with a BA in Spanish Language and Culture and a BS in Environmental Communications, with a minor in Film and Media Studies.
Rachel has worked in journalism and nonprofit management for several years, where she’s collaborated on books, reports, and articles across environmental, political, and public health sectors. Most recently, she worked as a staff writer for the Liberty Hill Independent newspaper, where she covered political, business, and profile features. She’s now a freelance journalist, filmmaker, and chair of the Long Covid Collective, an Austin-based organization committed to supporting and improving the lives of those with Long Covid and other chronic illnesses, which she co-founded in 2024 following her own experience with the illness.
Inspired by her own chronic illness journey, Rachel is now committed to sharing the stories of chronic illness survivors and other marginalized communities whose voices are all-too-often silenced or misrepresented in modern media. Her most recent piece was published in the Austin American Statesman, and she is currently directing a freelance documentary project centered on the Long Covid experiences of local women. At UT, Rachel hopes to expand her knowledge and practice with photography, long-form feature writing, and podcasting to better tell meaningful stories and grow her freelance multimedia journalism career. Email: rnm2282@my.utexas.edu |
