Journalist · Filmmaker · Author

Ron Harris A Career Defined by Impact. Driven by Truth.

Award-winning journalist, documentary filmmaker, and writer whose work has helped shape how America understands its most disruptive and consequential stories.

George Polk Award Scripps Howard Award Grantham Prize Bernard Hurwitz Award Deadline Club Award AP · 30 Years MFA · Drexel University Amazon Prime Documentary

A Career Built at the Intersection of Truth and Story

Ron Harris is a decorated American journalist and a versatile practitioners. Over more than three decades at The Associated Press, he has reported from the front lines of the nation's most consequential stories — earning five major awards that span investigative reporting, environmental journalism, breaking news, in-depth work covering disruptive technologies and multimedia storytelling.

His work on the Deepwater Horizon oil spill produced a landmark body of journalism that earned the George Polk Award, the Grantham Prize, and the Deadline Club Award in a single year — a testament to both his individual craft and his capacity to lead teams under extraordinary pressure. His 2006 investigation into Grand Theft Auto led directly to congressional hearings and a $29 million game recall.

Beyond the newsroom, Harris is a documentary filmmaker whose debut feature Buzzkill — an investigation into pharmaceutical giant Bayer AG's greenwashing efforts — won the Grand Prize at the Silicon Beach Film Festival and is available on Amazon Prime. He is completing an MFA in Creative Writing at Drexel University, where he also serves as Editor-in-Chief of the university's literary journal, and is at work on two speculative science thriller manuscripts.

30+
Years at the AP
5
Major Awards
1
Amazon Prime Film

Awards & Honors

2010
George Polk Award
Long Island University · Environmental Reporting
The AP reporting and multimedia team won for its landmark coverage of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico — one of journalism's most prestigious honors for special achievement in the field.
2009
Scripps Howard Award
Scripps Howard Foundation · Breaking News
Part of the AP team honored for all-formats coverage of the Fort Hood shootings — recognized for excellence across print, broadcast, and digital platforms under breaking news conditions.
2011
Grantham Prize
Metcalf Institute · Award of Special Merit
Recognized alongside a 17-member AP team for tenacious, accurate coverage of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill and its environmental consequences — among the highest honors in environmental journalism.
2006
Bernard Hurwitz Award
The Associated Press · Top Investigative Honor
The AP's premier internal investigative journalism award, won for in-depth coverage of the Grand Theft Auto video game controversy — reporting that led directly to congressional hearings and a $29 million game recall.
2011
Deadline Club Award
NY Society of Professional Journalists · Multimedia
The AP multimedia team's ongoing Deepwater Horizon coverage won in the best multimedia, interactive graphics, and animation category — recognizing innovation in digital storytelling.
2023
Silicon Beach Film Festival
Grand Prize · Best TV Documentary
Grand prize winner for Buzzkill, a feature documentary investigating Bayer AG's greenwashing efforts and the impact of its products on pollinators. Now streaming on Amazon Prime.
Disciplines

The Work

✒️
Journalism
Three decades at The Associated Press spanning print, broadcast, and multimedia — covering the stories that defined American life from Fort Hood to the Gulf of Mexico. A career built on rigorous standards and the relentless pursuit of accountability.
🎬
Documentary Film
Founder of Modband Media/Westside Films, specializing in documentary storytelling. Debut feature Buzzkill — an investigation into corporate greenwashing — won a Grand Prize at the Silicon Beach Film Festival (held at the historic Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles), was featured at film events from Iceland to Greece and is streaming on Amazon Prime.
📖
Creative Writing
MFA candidate at Drexel University, completing two speculative science thriller manuscripts. Editor-in-Chief of Drexel's literary journal, Paper Dragon, managing a staff through all phases of licensing and publication. A storyteller across every medium.

Career

The Associated Press
1993 – Present
Journalist & Producer
Over thirty years covering the nation's most consequential stories for the world's largest news organization. Fifteen years in print journalism followed by sixteen years in broadcast and multimedia production — a full-platform career that spans every era of modern journalism. Led and contributed to reporting efforts that earned five major national and international awards.
Modband Media / Westside Films
2019 – Present
Filmmaker & Director
Principal officer of an independent media production company specializing in documentary filmmaking. Directs, edits, and produces visual narratives that bring investigative journalism to the screen. Debut feature Buzzkill won a Grand Prize for Best TV Documentary at the Silicon Beach Film Festival and is currently streaming on Amazon Prime.
Drexel University
2025 – Present
Editor-in-Chief, Literary Journal
Leads a diverse team of professional writers and MFA students through all phases of publication — from acquisition and editing to production and release. Oversees strategic editorial direction, contract negotiation with contributing writers, novelists, and artists, and comprehensive workflow management for a nationally recognized university literary journal.
Drexel University
MFA, Creative Writing
Completing a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing, graduating June 2026. Specializing in speculative science thriller fiction, with two manuscripts in progress. The MFA is the terminal degree in creative writing.
San Francisco State University
B.A., Journalism
Bachelor of Arts in Journalism — the foundation of a career that would span three decades, five major awards, and every platform journalism has to offer.

Let's Talk

Available for speaking engagements, documentary collaborations, academic opportunities, and editorial consulting.