Tradeoffs has added veteran journalist Julie Wernau as its newest reporter and producer. Wernau joins Tradeoffs after more than a decade at The Wall Street Journal, where she covered a wide range of health topics, including the COVID-19 pandemic and the nation’s mental health and addiction crises.
Her reporting on serious mental illness and addiction was nominated by The Wall Street Journal for the Pulitzer Prize for both 2022 and 2024.
Before joining the Journal, Wernau worked as a business reporter at the Chicago Tribune and as a reporter and editor at The Day Publishing Company, covering communities across southeastern Connecticut.
Wernau’s coverage at Tradeoffs will focus on mental health and addiction, among other pressing health policy issues. Her work across topics will continue to strengthen the organization’s commitment to reporting on solutions to America’s biggest health policy challenges. Wernau began at Tradeoffs on Jan. 5, succeeding Ryan Levi, who was named Tradeoffs’ first managing editor in October 2025.
“I am so excited to have Julie join Tradeoffs, especially in a moment of such change and uncertainty in the U.S. health care system,” Levi said. “She shares Tradeoffs’ vision of marrying clarity, evidence and the experiences of real people to create accessible and engaging health policy journalism. Julie’s ability to tell powerful stories on complex issues like mental health and addiction will help Tradeoffs continue to deliver impactful, solutions-focused reporting on some of the most important topics of the moment.”
Based in northwest Georgia, Wernau will be Tradeoffs’ first reporter based in rural America and the South. This will help the organization better reflect the geographic diversity of the country as Tradeoffs reports on critical health care issues affecting all Americans.
