Resume // Joan Niesen

freelance journalist // April 2024 - present

My byline has appeared in the Washington Post, the New York Times and Washingtonian, among other outlets. I write feature stories about food, travel, politics, science, sports and more. I am also an experienced recipe tester, and I write a newsletter on Substack.

editor, Extra Points/NIL Wire // June 2025 - present

I edit a pair of newsletters that cover policy and money in college athletics. Each newsletter has a subscriber base of more than 30,000 readers, and I am the top editor, working on content and strategy.

professor, Georgetown University // January 2022 - May 2025

I taught a seminar-style undergraduate course, primarily aimed at upperclassmen in the journalism minor program. The course focused on the sports media industry and sports storytelling, with a heavy emphasis on reporting, writing and journalism strategy.

assignment editor, the Washington Post // July 2022 - April 2024

I oversaw NFL coverage, coordinating coverage of the Washington Commanders and the league at large and working with the wider newsroom on award-winning investigative and storytelling projects. During my time at the Post, I was part of an audit of the body of sports coverage, working closely with the audience team to devise a more cohesive strategy for coverage.

staff editor, the Athletic // October 2021 - June 2022

I oversaw two NBA beat writers and helped shape the site’s coverage. I was also the lead editor on a book commemorating the Warriors’ 2022 championship.

podcast writer, Religion of Sports //January 2020 - October 2021

I wrote and hosted a deeply reported serialized narrative podcast, Crushed, about MLB’s steroid era. The seven-part series peaked at No. 11 in Apple’s sports category. 

staff writer, Sports Illustrated // January 2014 – October 2019

I wrote features, columns and analysis for Sports Illustrated’s print product and SI.com. I primarily covered football, though I ultimately wrote about subjects ranging from women’s basketball to golf. My stories appeared on the cover of the weekly magazine, and I covered multiple Super Bowls, the Masters, the NCAA tournament, the College Football playoff and more.

NFL reporter, the Denver Post // August 2013 – January 2014

I was a beat writer covering the Denver Broncos during the 2013 season, chronicling the team’s path to the Super Bowl and Peyton Manning’s record-setting season. I also participated in the paper’s video initiatives, including reporting from practices and offering insight on a pregame web show.

NBA reporter, Fox Sports // December 2011 - August 2013

I covered the Minnesota Timberwolves and the NBA at large, writing game coverage, columns, analysis and features. I also was a part of the RSN’s broadcasts, contributing to occasional in-studio programming and live hits from games.