Civil Beat Staff

Kim Gamel

Kim Gamel is Civil Beat’s managing editor. She joined the organization as a deputy editor in November 2020. She’s also an accredited solutions journalism trainer.

Kim came to Hawaii after many years abroad, most recently in Seoul covering the Korean Peninsula for the military newspaper Stars and Stripes.

That gave her a firsthand view of the U.S.-North Korea relationship as it evolved from “fire and fury” threats of war to Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un’s bromance.

A Russian major in college, Kim began her career as a reporter with an English-language newspaper in Moscow, the Moscow Tribune, as the Soviet Union was starting to disintegrate.

She later went to work for The Associated Press in Iowa, North Carolina and New York before being posted as the Nordic/Baltic news editor in Sweden. A highlight of that period was going reindeer herding with indigenous Sami north of the Arctic Circle.

She was in Stockholm when 9/11 happened. That triggered an intense interest in the Middle East, leading to a posting as AP’s news editor in Baghdad from 2006-2009.

Her portfolio also includes assignments in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Libya, Turkey, Lebanon and Egypt.

Kim took a break from conflict zones to do a 2014-15 Knight-Wallace Fellowship at the University of Michigan, where she developed an interest in the importance of local news and the need to find innovative ways to produce it.

Kim, a native of Boise, Idaho, has a bachelor’s degree from Bates College in Maine and a master’s degree from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.

She’s excited about joining Civil Beat and engaging with the community on important economic, social and environmental issues that impact the islands. Let her know if you have any ideas.

The Next Stop For Civil Beat’s Pop-Up Newsroom Is Kaimuki

The Next Stop For Civil Beat’s Pop-Up Newsroom Is Kaimuki

We won't have far to go since the Kaimuki Public Library is in the same neighborhood as our office.

Ukrainians Fleeing The War Find Refuge In Hawaii But Struggle With Housing Tim Wright/Civil Beat/2022

Ukrainians Fleeing The War Find Refuge In Hawaii But Struggle With Housing

A federal sponsorship program offers many benefits but reliance on sponsors to provide housing has proven problematic.
Why Civil Beat Readers Will Be Seeing More Stories About The Philippines AP Photo/Aaron Favila-Pool/2022

Why Civil Beat Readers Will Be Seeing More Stories About The Philippines

Meet our new Li Center for Global Journalism fellow who hopes to help people in Hawaii better understand the Southeast Asian country.
Hawaii Female High School Athletes May Pursue Class-Action Case, Court Says Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2018

Hawaii Female High School Athletes May Pursue Class-Action Case, Court Says

The U.S. appeals court decision reverses a federal judge's ruling from late 2019.
Navy Has ‘No Realistic Timeline’ To Restore Safe Water To Military Housing On Oahu U.S. Navy

Navy Has ‘No Realistic Timeline’ To Restore Safe Water To Military Housing On Oahu

The military also stepped up efforts to help affected families by providing temporary lodging assistance that will enable those eligible to move into hotels.
Navy Investigating Spill Of 14,000 Gallons Of Fuel And Water At Red Hill U.S. Navy

Navy Investigating Spill Of 14,000 Gallons Of Fuel And Water At Red Hill

There was no indication of a threat to the environment, and drinking water in the area remains potable, the Navy said.
Hawaii Records 452 New COVID Cases As Positivity Rate Soars To 5.7% Ronen Zilberman/Civil Beat/2021

Hawaii Records 452 New COVID Cases As Positivity Rate Soars To 5.7%

Concerns are high as public schools are due to officially reopen on Tuesday with tens of thousands of students who are too young to be vaccinated.
Hospitals Struggle With Influx Of Patients As Hawaii’s COVID-19 Caseload Mounts Tim Wright/Civil Beat/2021

Hospitals Struggle With Influx Of Patients As Hawaii’s COVID-19 Caseload Mounts

Gov. David Ige has said he may need to reimpose COVID-19 restrictions if the rapid rise continues and hospitals are overwhelmed.
Hanauma Bay Will Let Local Residents Visit Without Reservations Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2021

Hanauma Bay Will Let Local Residents Visit Without Reservations

The exemption will last for two weeks as part of a pilot program. Out-of-state visitors must still book a spot online.