Stuart Leavenworth is a deputy editor at Civil Beat, overseeing political coverage, columnists and community commentary.

Stuart joined Civil Beat in August 2026 after a 40-plus-year journalism career that has taken him from his home state of California to Tokyo, Beijing and Washington, D.C. He previously was climate policy editor at The Washington Post, an enterprise editor at the Los Angeles Times, Beijing Bureau Chief for McClatchy Newspapers and editorial page editor of The Sacramento Bee. His work has been recognized by the National Press Foundation, Society of Professional Journalists, News Leaders Association, Covering Climate Now and other journalism organizations.

His memorable reporting assignments include talking his way into a Rohingya refugee camp in western Myanmar; dodging tear gas during democracy protests in Hong Kong; rafting down the Grand Canyon and working for five months as a prep chef in a high-end Italian restaurant in the Bay Area.

Stuart spends his spare time cooking, bicycling, hiking, camping and volunteering. Get in touch with him at sleavenworth@civilbeat.org and follow him on Bluesky at @sleavenworth.bsky.social.