Lauren Kostiuk joined the team in Spring of 2020 as a multimedia journalist, which means she shoots, edits and writes all her own stories.
She is new to the Hoosier state but has always worked and lived in the Midwest.
Lauren comes to Indianapolis from Central Illinois where she spent two years reporting and anchoring for Champaign's FOX affiliate.
She is most known for her award-nominated work covering drug addiction and the opioid crisis in Central Illinois. She also did a months-long investigation into toxic "forever chemicals" found in the water at a former U.S. Air Force base in Rantoul.
She was one of the lead reporters covering the kidnapping and murder of the University of Illinois Chinese scholar Yingying Zhang. Her coverage included the federal trial of her killer Brendt Christensen.
Lauren also provided breaking news coverage on the Aurora, IL mass shooting for several stations across the country.
She is a proud graduate of Columbia College Chicago where she graduated early with honors. As a student, Lauren covered the 2016 NFL Draft in Chicago and the 2017 Presidential Inauguration in Washington D.C.
For three years, she worked as a reporter and editor for the number one weekly college newspaper in the state, The Columbia Chronicle. She also interned for NBC Network News and CBS Chicago's investigative team.
In high school, Lauren received the honor of "Michigan High School Journalist of the Year" from the Interscholastic Press Association.
She is a proud Michigander growing up in the Metro Detroit area. She loves going back home to visit her family and three big dogs.
On her days off, you can find her walking around downtown exploring the parks, coffee shops and new restaurants.
Have a story or tip? Reach out to Lauren at lauren.kostiuk@wthr.com or follow her on social media.
