Katarina Sostaric
State Government ReporterExpertise: Reporting, writing and producing stories to help IPR listeners and readers understand their state government and how it affects Iowans' lives
Education: University of Missouri
Favorite Iowa Destination: Loess Hills hiking trails
Experience:
- Covered local and statewide government issues, local community issues and other news for IPR, as part of the Alaska public radio network, and KBIA in Columbia, Mo
- Has reported and written features on all branches of Iowa's state government, including continued coverage throughout the duration of each annual legislative session
- Is a multi-award-winning reporter, including a regional Edward R. Murrow and an Iowa Broadcast News Association award for her coverage of abortion rights in Iowa and several Eric Sevareid awards for reporting on Iowa's strict time limit on sexual abuse lawsuits, voting rights, social isolation of nursing home residents during the COVID-19 pandemic and the drop in family planning services
- Regularly appears on Iowa Press on Iowa PBS, where she interviews elected officials
- Has reported and produced features for All Things Considered
- Serves as the secretary of the Iowa Capitol Press Association
- Served as a mentor for NPR’s Next Generation Radio in Iowa
Contact Katarina at ksostaric@iowapublicradio.org.
My Favorite Stories
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Iowa's Glenwood Resource Center, which was once home to hundreds of people with disabilities, grabbed national headlines about four years ago when federal investigators found senior staff were conducting harmful human subject experiments and providing poor medical care. It will close on June 30. -
Immigrants and advocates held rallies and marches in four Iowa cities Wednesday evening to protest a law set to take effect July 1 that will allow state and local officials to arrest and deport immigrants who illegally re-entered the country. -
More Iowans with disabilities who work could qualify for government-funded health coverage through Medicaid under a bill in the Iowa House of Representatives. But those who have been pushing for changes say it wouldn’t go far enough to ensure disabled Iowans can continue to receive services if they get a job promotion or get married. -
Iowa’s strict time limit on suing perpetrators of childhood sexual abuse means Iowa victims could see their financial compensation from the Boy Scouts of America reduced by 55 to 70% compared to victims in other states. Sen. Tim Kraayenbrink filed a bill Monday to prevent that from happening. -
A bill advanced Wednesday in the Iowa House of Representatives would limit Iowans’ ability to sue pesticide companies when their products are linked to serious health problems.
My Latest Stories
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Three Republicans running for governor of Iowa said they support banning the use of eminent domain for carbon capture pipelines. Eddie Andrews, Brad Sherman and Adam Steen spoke at an anti-eminent domain rally in Shelby County. -
Discrepancies surfaced after the former Des Moines superintendent was arrested by federal immigration agents last week. Des Moines Public Schools is suing the firm that did his background check. -
Former Des Moines Public Schools Superintendent Ian Roberts of Guyana has been charged with illegally possessing four firearms while in the U.S. without legal status. A federal criminal complaint states he is under a valid deportation order and has not been authorized to work since 2020. -
The Des Moines School Board accepted Superintendent Ian Roberts’ resignation in a special session Tuesday night. The decision comes less than a week after Roberts was arrested by ICE and hours after his attorney presented Roberts' resignation letter. -
Ian Roberts, superintendent of Des Moines Public Schools, was arrested and detained Friday after fleeing ICE agents during a traffic stop in Des Moines. The school board voted Saturday to put him on administrative leave. Since his arrest, community members have rallied across the state to show their support for Roberts. -
Gov. Kim Reynolds is seeking federal approval to receive education funding as block grants. She said Iowa's improving K-12 public school performance shows the state is ready to have more control over federal funding. -
Iowa’s Area Education Agencies are more stable than last year, but they still face uncertainty now that the law that shifted some of their funding to school districts has fully phased in. AEA and school district leaders said they continue to see a difference in how the law is affecting small and large school districts. -
Blind Iowans marched outside of the Iowa Department for the Blind in Des Moines Tuesday as they protested changes to a state program that prepares people with impaired vision to live independently. -
Iowa Senate Majority Leader Jack Whitver will step down from his leadership position and will not seek reelection in 2026, he announced Tuesday, citing treatment for a brain tumor and his busy family life. -
A member of Gov. Kim Reynolds’ Iowa DOGE Task Force apologized Monday for his ideas about performance-based teacher pay and IPERS pension plan changes being “misunderstood,” and sought to clarify his recommendations.
