Chelsea covers climate change for POLITICO’s E&E News, specializing in the intersection of science and policy. Much of her work is currently focused on the Trump administration’s cuts and restructurings of the federal science agencies and the implications for climate science, weather forecasting and disaster preparation in the U.S.

In general, Chelsea’s in-depth reporting explores the knowns and unknowns of global warming and evaluates the ways science informs national and global climate policy. Her work frequently delves into the thorniest debates around emerging climate interventions, from carbon removal to geoengineering.

Chelsea is a member of E&E’s extreme weather rapid response team, where she reports on the links between climate change and worsening disasters around the world. Her investigations range from extreme heat to hurricanes, and she’s a skilled on-the-ground reporter in recovering disaster zones.

Chelsea also investigates issues related to diversity, equity and inclusion in science. She’s particularly known for her investigative work on safety and equity in field expeditions, including sexism and other forms of discrimination in polar science.

Chelsea is an experienced field reporter in some of the most challenging and remote settings in the world. Her stories have carried her across the country and around the globe, from the balmy barrier islands of South Carolina to the mountainous wilds of West Virginia to the remote corners of the ice-capped Arctic Ocean.

Chelsea was a 2024 recipient of the SEAL Environmental Journalism Award. She was a contributing member of an E&E News reporting team awarded a 2025 SPJ Dateline Award and member of a second team recognized as finalists in the same season. Her reporting received an honorable mention in the 2022 Covering Climate Now Journalism Awards. 

She was previously a regular contributor on energy and environment at The Washington Post.