Liz Baker
Liz Baker is a producer on NPR's National Desk based in Los Angeles, and is often on the road producing coverage of domestic breaking news stories.
Since joining NPR as an Arts Desk intern in 2010, Baker has worked on each of NPR's newsmagazine programs and dozens of hours of special coverage, including every election night and inauguration special since President Obama's second term. She has covered natural and man-made disasters, including Hurricanes Maria, Ida, and Ian, the catastrophic 2019-2020 wildfire seasons in California, Oregon, and Australia, and the Surfside condo collapse in Florida. She also covered mass shootings in Buffalo, NY, Uvalde, TX, and Monterey Park, CA, and high-profile court cases such as the hate crime and murder trial against Ahmaud Arbery's killers in Brunswick, GA, Harvey Weinstein's sexual assault trial in Los Angeles, and Britney Spears' conservatorship hearing.
In 2020, Baker produced on-the-ground coverage during the COVID-19 pandemic, including the summer of racial justice protests following the killings of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor. She reported extensively on the protests in her hometown of Rochester, NY, which were sparked by police body camera video of Daniel Prude's death and contributed to renewed conversations about policing reform and mental illness.
From 2015 to 2019, Baker produced and directed Weekend All Things Considered; working closely with host Michel Martin to revitalize the program after its move to Washington, D.C. following a 2-year run in Los Angeles.
In her spare time, she enjoys climbing, camping, and clomping around the Santa Monica mountains with a too-heavy pack, always ready to lend first aid and snacks to others on the trail.
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Los Angeles County faces at least three out-of-control wildfires fueled by unusually strong Santa Ana winds. Thousands have been forced to evacuate and a state of emergency has been declared.
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Residents in Asheville, N.C., got their first supplies of water Monday, days after the remnants of Hurricane Helene blitzed the mountainous region with rain, wind and floods that killed dozens.
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Republican lawmakers in Arizona are introducing nearly a hundred so-called voter reform bills this year despite two reviews showing there were no problems with the 2020 presidential election. -
A year after the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, a new NPR/Ipsos poll finds that Americans are pessimistic about the future of democracy, as false claims about the 2020 election persist. -
Marvin Weeks memorialized Ahmaud Arbery in a mural after he was killed while jogging in 2020. His latest work delves into Brunswick, Georgia's history with a focus on race relations. -
Even as climate change increases the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, two-thirds of U.S. adults say if their home is hit they'd rather rebuild than relocate. -
Hurricane Ida and its remnants left a path of destruction from Louisiana to the Northeast. Communities are assessing the damage, and prepping for a hurricane season that hasn't reached its peak.
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Four nursing home residents in Louisiana have died after being evacuated to another facility ahead of Hurricane Ida. Health officials are investigating reports of unsafe conditions at the site.
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Hurricane Ida roared ashore in southern Louisiana on Sunday, and left behind much destruction. Many trees are down and roofs were ripped off homes and businesses. Power is out in many areas.
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Experts review Rochester, N.Y., police body camera video of a recent encounter of white officers with a Black girl in distress. She was handcuffed and pepper-sprayed in a squad car.
