Krissy Clark

Former Host and Senior Correspondent

SHORT BIO

Krissy Clark hosted, reported, produced and edited for Marketplace's award-winning narrative documentary podcast “The Uncertain Hour,” where she dug into forgotten history, obscure policies and human stories to help make sense of America's weird, complicated and often unequal economy. She’s covered the legacy of welfare reform, low-wage work, the war on drugs, and the gentrification of cities. She’s interested in the intersection of public policy, money, and people, and how those forces come together to create parts of our world that can seem inevitable but have very specific origin stories.

Krissy has reported for “99% Invisible,” Reveal from the Center for Investigative Reporting, Slate, Freakonomics, NPR, the BBC and High Country News. Her investigation into welfare funding was featured on “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver.”  Her reporting has been referenced in legislative hearings, and written about in outlets including the Washington Post, The Guardian, and New York Magazine. She has guest lectured at the USC journalism program, the Salt Institute for Documentary Studies and City College in New York. She has produced audio tours for StoryCorps, and her location-based storytelling projects have been exhibited at the New Museum’s Ideas City Festival.

She won two Gracies for best investigative report and best reporter, has been a finalist for a Loeb award, a Livingston Award, a Third Coast International Audio Festival award, and a nominee for a James Beard award for food journalism. She’s been on teams that received an IRE (Investigative Reporters and Editors) Medal, a Scripps-Howard award, a Webby, a First Prize in Investigative Reporting from the National Awards for Education Reporting, and awards from the Society for Advancing Business Editing and Writing.

Krissy grew up in northern California. She has a degree in the humanities from Yale University and was a Knight Journalism Fellow at Stanford University.

Latest Stories (122)

What will new welfare work requirements mean for recipients?

New work requirements on welfare were part of the debt ceiling deal. How might they affect benefit recipients?
The new work requirements in the debt ceiling deal may negatively impact older people's access to food aid and other benefits, says "The Uncertain Hour" host Krissy Clark.
Spencer Platt/Getty Images

For the gig economy, emergency aid will be crucial during the COVID-19 pandemic

Mar 26, 2020
In a historic move, gig and freelance workers will qualify for unemployment benefits.
Scott Olson/Getty Images

How many regulations has Trump actually killed?

Jan 19, 2018
The president claims to be doing more deregulation than any other administration. Now that he's a year in, let's take stock.
President Donald Trump cuts a symbolic piece of red tape during an event at the White House promoting the administration's efforts to decrease federal regulations Dec. 14, 2017 in Washington, D.C. 
Win McNamee/Getty Images

How education changed because of welfare reform

Jul 7, 2016
Time limits fueled the rise of short-term credential programs, like cosmetology.
Sean Gallup/Getty Images

Welfare's role in alternative to abortion programs

Jun 23, 2016
Indiana and other states support crisis pregnancy centers with federal welfare money.
When Brandi David found herself unexpectedly pregnant, she turned to Women's Care Center for help.
Caitlin Esch/Marketplace

How welfare money funds college scholarships

According to the state of Michigan, it's a way to prevent out-of-wedlock pregnancy.
Students at a college in Michigan play soccer while cocooned in plastic bubbles.
Caitlin Esch/Marketplace