Rob O'Dell, 30, has covered Tucson City Hall for the Arizona Daily Star since 2005. He specializes in public records investigations, mentoring other reporters on the subject. He frequently speaks about public records law on journalism panels and to students at the University of Arizona.

O'Dell was named one of three finalists for Arizona Journalist of the Year in 2008 and won the state's top prize for political and government reporting for his series of investigations into the waste of $100 million by Tucson's Downtown redevelopment district. His reporting has pushed the Arizona Legislature to consider ending the district or slapping heavy reforms on it, and led to the firing of Tucson's City Manager as well.

Prior to working at the Arizona Daily Star, he reported for the North County Times in San Diego County, Calif., and the Hamilton Journal-News in southwest Ohio. He has also worked in the Washington bureau for Cox Newspapers in Washington, D.C.

O'Dell was born in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and is a 2001 graduate of the

S.I. Newhouse School of Journalism at Syracuse University.