Dr. JL Trey Odom has written 100+ published stories since moving to San Francisco in 2021.

They’ve demonstrated their versatility as a journalist in their coverage of city initiatives and projects; myriad Bay Area events and organizations; arts & culture; sports (e.g., the NWSL, the U.S. WNT, Bay FC); social media platforms & policies; and artificial intelligence.

They were one of sixteen journalists selected nationwide for the Comcast NBCUniversal Digital Equity Voices Lab fellowship (2024-2025), writing impactful stories on digital equity and the LGBTQ+ community.

JL has a doctorate in English, with a concentration in rhetoric and textual studies, an M.A. in English, a B.A. in Political Science, and USATF and RRCA coaching certifications.

They’ve previously worked as an English professor in Virginia; a professional editor for an online-based company, with clients such as the World Bank; and a youth track & cross country coach in Piedmont.

JL is also a long-distance runner and has qualified for Boston every year since 2015. They are the nonbinary division winner of the 2022 California International Marathon and the 2023 and 2024 San Francisco Marathon. So far this year, they’ve placed first overall NB at the Oakland Half Marathon (March 2025) as part of the Under Armour Flow Elite Team; 14th overall NB at the Boston Marathon (April 2025), and 2nd overall NB at Bay to Breakers (May 2025). They’re currently training for the SF Marathon (July 2025).

See the “Contact” page to request them for:

▪️writing projects for reputable news orgs, companies, and educational institutions

▪️speaking engagements at schools or organizations