Reporting and storytelling

Jareen has published hundreds of bylines for media organizations including CNN, CBS News, and NBC News. She is a trained writer and editor. She was a fellow with the Sun Sentinel, a major newspaper in South Florida, before joining the true-crime series “48 Hours” as a crime reporter. There, she worked on the research and development team, conducting long-form investigations and producing episodes with her field producer. She spent seven years at CNN developing her breaking news and feature-writing skills and was the former editor of the network’s Space and Science section. At CBS News and NBC News, Jareen was a media director and executive producer, managing, editing, and advising her global teams as they reported and created digital, social, streaming, and live-programming content.

Investigative reporting

In 2020, at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Jareen investigated and uncovered a critical story about the largest COVID-19 outbreak inside a U.S. prison system. The outbreak, which occurred in Ohio, led to the deaths of inmates and a prison guard. Her reporting, published on NBC News’ website and featured in television coverage, contributed to immediate changes inside the prison and was cited in court cases around the country calling for the humane treatment of inmates.

NBC News coverage of the COVID-19 outbreak in an Ohio prison

Feature storytelling

From solutions-based storytelling to long-form enterprise journalism, Jareen has told human-focused stories for years, diving deeply into issues, trends, and experiences. Her work has earned Peabody Awards, Emmys, and Murrow Awards, and has influenced lives and policies. In 2016, Jareen published a magazine-style article for CNN about the ongoing issue of anti-Muslim sentiment in America since 9/11 and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

CNN feature reporting about Muslim Americans

Enterprise reporting

During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Jareen led her team in reporting on the stories of ordinary Americans who tragically died from the virus. The stories her team gathered were featured in this moving interactive piece produced by the NBC Digital team. This is one example of many cross-functional projects Jareen has contributed to throughout her professional career.

Live programming

In 2021, Jareen led her team during the January 6 riots in Washington, D.C., as insurrectionists stormed the United States Capitol. Her team collected and verified hundreds of social media clips and videos captured by insurrectionists in real time and afterward. Her team used this content to create a timeline of the riots, identifying those who stormed the Capitol and caused harm and destruction. Her team’s reporting, which aired on NBC Special Reports, NBC Nightly News, and MSNBC (now known as MS NOW), was cited by Congress and the Department of Justice in prosecutions of insurrectionists afterward. Jareen and her team won an Emmy for their contributions to NBC News’ live programming and breaking news reporting in 2022.

Space and science writing

While at CNN, Jareen built the organization’s Space and Science reporting vertical from 2015 to 2016. She reported on new scientific discoveries, rocket launches, NASA missions, and more. Her ability to break down complex scientific information and turn it into engaging stories for CNN was instrumental in her ability to later create a robust social media content marketing program for the 23andMe Research Institute, advancing how the organization speaks to audiences about genetics, ancestry, and health conditions.