Project Optimist

Nora Hertel is the founder and executive director at Project Optimist, which serves greater Minnesota with solution-focused news. Nora has more than 10 years of experience as an award-winning investigative reporter, political and public issues correspondent, and environmental journalist in the Midwest and earned a master's degree in journalism from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. 

Project Optimist strives to engage residents of greater Minnesota to help them collaborate across common divides, tackle seemingly intractable problems and grow more optimistic about the future of their communities, region and world.

Project Optimist does this by tapping Minnesota’s creative and independent talent to produce solution-focused stories and local art to inform and inspire. We provide training and spur conversations in support of media literacy, community problem solving, community journalism and democracy.­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­