Annie Zak is a writer and editor based in Chicago. She has reported for newspapers in Alaska, California, Washington state and Illinois. Her work has often focused on economic issues, business stories and general assignments. She also writes essays and poetry, and she is working on her first book.

Her reporting has taken her many places, including a slaughterhouse in Illinois, Occupy Portland tent cities, Arctic oil fields, Venice Beach, Kodiak Island, and doorsteps where she was not wanted. She has investigated loopholes for small government contractors with questionable track records, shady for-profit colleges, and segregation in a California school district.