Raised in Ohio, she began her career in Washington, D.C., covering the White House and other national news. Assignments have since taken her to the mountains of Pakistan, the jungles of eastern Congo, the coalfields of Appalachia, and many places in between. Her greatest passion is working on environmental conservation and outdoor-themed stories that raise awareness and understanding, or spark interest and inspiration. Falkenberg was a Pulitzer Prize finalist for her photo essay “Motherhood in the Time of Zika” in 2017, and has twice been named Multimedia Photographer of the Year.