Esta Pratt-Kielley
Digital News Reporterepratt-kielley@mainepublic.org
Esta Pratt-Kielley is a digital news reporter at Maine Public, where she writes and produces multimedia stories, seeking to bring Maine Public’s storytelling to life across platforms.
Before moving to Maine, Esta lived and worked in New York City. She wrote and produced daily news for MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell Reports, covering national politics, the 2020 election, racial justice protests and the coronavirus pandemic. Before that, Esta reported national education stories for NBC News, where she produced short documentaries and educational video series, helped launch a Webby award-winning parenting website, wrote and produced episodes for a daily news show for kids, and traveled across the country to produce live-audience broadcasts in partnership with local NBC affiliate stations. In October 2019, Esta was the senior producer for a televised, live-audience event in Detroit, Michigan, that put a spotlight on the city’s education system, covering the most salient issues facing the community, including the impact of trauma in the classroom. Esta’s favorite part of journalism is talking to different people – and she has interviewed people ranging from a four-year-old entrepreneur to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi.
Esta is originally from Madison, Wisconsin, where she attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison and graduated with a Journalism degree and a Fine Arts minor. Esta’s career in journalism began at her college radio station, where she reported daily newscasts and hosted a weekly talk show.
Esta lives with her wife, Sara, and their rescue dog, Maico. They spend most weekends outdoors, hiking or swimming.
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The Gulf of Maine is warmer faster than most of the world's oceans. Why is it warming so fast? And how does that impact Mainers? Watch this episode of Maine Explained to get some answers. -
Maine's Center for Sustainability recently hosted a Repair Café in Portland. Local volunteers fix broken items for free – with the goal of reducing waste and encouraging people to keep using what they already have. It's part of a growing movement worldwide.
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Farming is a big CO2 emitter. But could it be a climate solution? Wolfe's Neck is leading the chargeLast September, Wolfe’s Neck Center for Agriculture and the Environment in Freeport received a $35 million grant from the USDA to expand climate-friendly, regenerative farming practices nationwide. Now a national leader, Wolfe’s Neck Center has big plans to help farms across the country transform our food system.
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Four North Atlantic right whale entanglements have been documented so far in 2023. And despite decades of research, scientists say tracking the species — and developing definitive answers about their encounters with fishing gear — are challenging tasks.
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The Kennebec Land Trust recently opened a conservation cemetery in Fayette that offers green burials – combining the climate-friendly burial process with land conservation. Green burial is growing in popularity in New England and nationwide as more people consider their carbon footprint in their daily lives – and long after they’re gone.
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Harvesting softshell clams has been a part of Gouldsboro’s culture and economy for generations. But warming ocean temperatures have led to an explosion of the invasive green crabs, which eat the clams. Now, a group of volunteers are working to revitalize the local fishery.
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Scientists refer to fall as the most understudied season in climate change research. There are still a lot of unknowns. Yet, understanding the effect of climate change on foliage is critical for regions like Down East Maine, where fall tourism is a billion-dollar industry.
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And a breakdown of the 13 ballot questions.
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A growing number of Maine groups are trying to waste less food — and when not possible, to dispose of their leftovers in better ways. While many of those recovery efforts involve composting or donating to food banks, perhaps the biggest takes a different approach: mixing the food with cow manure and microbes to make electricity.
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Here is a look at the most recent available data about abortion opinion and access in Maine.
