Andrea Dukakis

Colorado Matters Reporter / Producer / Host

@adukakis[email protected]

Andrea Dukakis is a producer/reporter/host for Colorado Matters on CPR News. She has produced and reported for CPR for nearly two decades. Prior to joining CPR, Andrea worked at NPR and ABC News.

Education:
Bachelor's degree in English, Princeton University; Master's degree in journalism, Columbia University.

Professional background:
Andrea Dukakisreports, produces and hosts stories for Colorado Public Radio and has been at CPR for nearly two decades.Prior to coming to Colorado, she spent three years at National Public Radio in Washington, D.C. Andrea has also worked at ABC News in New York. She's reported national stories for several NPR programs, including "Morning Edition," "All Things Considered," "Justice Talking" and "Living on Earth," as well as for BBC's "The World."

Awards:
Andrea has received awards from PRNDI (Public Radio News Directors Incorporated),Colorado Broadcasters Association, Associated Press and the Colorado Community Health Network.


Q & AWhy I became a journalist:
I have always been fascinated by people and their unique experiences, and I love the news. So, it was a perfect fit. I grew up in a political family, and we always talked about issues and politics at the dinner table. But I never wanted to work in politics – I always preferred understanding issues from different perspectives. I think the most powerful stories are the ones told by those who are affected, whether it be health care reform, welfare, education, justice issues or the economy. And, I enjoy telling those stories.

Why I got into radio:
While I was in journalism school, I was offered the chance to help out at WBAI – a public radio station in New York City. I had written a story for school on Amerasian children who moved here from Vietnam after the war. The folks at WBAI let me turn it into a radio story – and I was hooked. I liked it better than print because radio adds a special texture to a story. And I preferred radio to television because I think people being interviewed are more honest when they talk into a microphone, rather than a camera.

How I ended up at CPR:
I was newly married, and my husband wanted to move to the mountains. At the time, I was at National Public Radio in Washington, D.C. We moved to Denver, and I began talking to people at Colorado Public Radio. It was really the only place I wanted to work – and the rest is history.

Clifton Food Bank Pantry Grand Junction
Colorado Matters

Food banks across the state see increased demand amid rising prices

For a look at how inflation has hit families and food banks across Colorado, we visit the Clifton Christian Church Food Bank just outside of Grand Junction and meet Executive Director Jackie Feaster. She says her own experience when she was younger has helped her understand the struggles her clients go through and she strives not only to provide food for her clients but also to treat them with dignity and respect.
By Andrea Dukakis
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Colorado Matters

With less water in the Colorado River, changes could be in store for Coloradans

Colorado and other states that share the Colorado River could face new restrictions in the future as water levels drop to historic lows. Jennifer Pitt, director of the Colorado River program for the National Audubon Society, talked with CPR’s Andrea Dukakis about some of the approaches Colorado could take to conserve more water, including changing how farmers grow crops and how cities design their urban spaces.
By Andrea Dukakis
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Colorado Matters

As kids head back to school, a check-in on COVID-19 and other viruses

On the heels of new guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, we speak with the head of infectious disease control and prevention at UCHealth, Dr. Michelle Barron, about how to interpret the new rules, including the CDC’s decision to lift the requirement to quarantine if someone is exposed to the virus. Colorado Matters’ host Ryan Warner also asks Barron about other viruses like the flu, monkeypox, and polio.
By Andrea Dukakis
Colorado Matters

After 40 years fighting homelessness, a Denver ‘legend’ steps down

After 36 years, a fierce advocate for people experiencing homelessness announced he will leave his job once a replacement is found. John Parvensky leads the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless. By his count, CCH has built or acquired more than 2,000 affordable housing units and on any given night, the group says it houses up to 4,500 people or families. We speak with Parvensky and with Cuica Montoya, who runs the Safe Outdoor Spaces program. Montoya was formerly homeless and now works with Parvensky as a member of CCH’s board.
By Andrea Dukakis
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Colorado Matters

On the front lines of preventing overdoses

Fentanyl deaths in Colorado are ten times higher than they were just a few years ago. That’s why more people carry Narcan, a nasal spray that can reverse overdoses. Test strips, which can detect whether other drugs, like cocaine and ecstasy, are laced with fentanyl, are also more common. We checked in with people who contend with the reality of overdoses and have made it their mission to save lives.
By Andrea Dukakis
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Colorado Matters

Veteran says MDMA therapy helped him find his former self

Scott Ostrom, of Denver, had nightmares and anger problems after two deployments in Iraq. He took part in a study in Boulder of MDMA-assisted therapy for PTSD and said it helped him confront painful memories and heal. Boulder is one of 15 sites in the US and abroad conducting the study. Researchers anticipate FDA approval for MDMA could come in late 2023.
By Andrea Dukakis