Heather van Blokland

Heather van Blokland is an assistant professor of practice and journalist in residence at the Reg Murphy Center for Collaborative Journalism at Mercer University. A 25-year veteran journalist and communicator, she brings deep experience in public media reporting, on-air hosting, and newsroom leadership to both her teaching and professional work.

van Blokland is an alumna of NPR member stations KJZZ-Phoenix, Oregon Public Broadcasting, and WUFT-FM, where she worked as an executive producer, on-air host, anchor, and reporter. Her reporting credits include NPR’s Morning Edition, American Public Media’s Marketplace, WBUR’s Here & Now, and the BBC’s Business Matters. Her work has focused on business, finance, public policy, and accountability reporting, including in-depth investigations into the U.S. recycling industry, opioid manufacturers, and the expanding use of police body-camera surveillance. She also created and hosted #AZNumbers, a short-form video series translating complex economic and business data for public audiences.

van Blokland’s investigative work includes “U.S. Recycling 18 Months Later: Who Is Paying the Bill?”, a national look at the collapse of U.S. recycling markets and industry accountability challenges. In May 2019, she reported on contamination rates and program suspensions in New Orleans’ residential recycling system, highlighting systemic challenges in waste management. Her accountability reporting on corporate malfeasance includes “Insys Therapeutics to Pay $225 Million, Plead Guilty to Fraud,” an explanatory piece on legal, public health, and economic implications of opioid industry misconduct. Her environmental features include “Saving Florida Orange Juice: The Search For A Cure For Citrus Greening,” exploring agricultural impacts of a devastating plant disease.

Her journalism has earned national recognition, including Edward R. Murrow Award nominations for feature reporting and an Associated Press award for top newscaster. She is a member of SAG-AFTRA, NPR On-Air Hosts, the Society of Professional Journalists, and Public Media Women in Leadership.

Prior to joining Mercer, van Blokland taught advanced audio, podcasting, and news writing at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University and at the University of Florida’s College of Journalism and Communications. She has designed and taught courses in business journalism, sports journalism, multimedia reporting, and podcasting, mentoring graduate and undergraduate students whose work has earned national recognition, including Hearst Awards. She also served as a founding committee member for the University of Florida’s inaugural Business Journalist in Residence program, which brought nationally recognized journalists into the classroom to work directly with students.

Before entering journalism, van Blokland spent more than a decade in commercial and private banking at Bank of America and SunTrust, where she served as a first vice president and regional banking manager. She brings this subject-matter expertise directly into her reporting and teaching, helping students translate complex financial systems into clear, accurate journalism for public audiences.

Education

• M.A., Mass Communication, University of Florida
• B.S., Finance, Marketing, and Multinational Business, Florida State University

Professional Interests

van Blokland is interested in investigative business journalism, following the public’s access to resources. She also enjoys teaching in the integrated studies program exploring the intersection of behavioral norms and civil rights.

Other Interests

van Blokland enjoys trail hikes with her husband and following professional tennis. Attending Wimbledon is on her bucket list.

Contact Heather van Blokland

(478) 301-5772
vanblokland_hm@mercer.edu