Charlotte West is a freelance journalist based in Santa Cruz, California with more than 10 years of experience writing about education, housing policy, juvenile justice, and politics. West earned her bachelor’s degrees in history and international studies from Seattle University. She also completed a master’s in political science from Stockholm University as a Fulbright fellow from the U.S. Department of State. West has received several reporting fellowships, including the 2019 Kiplinger Fellowship in Digital Media.