Her "beat" included international trade and its impact on local economies. Bongiorni has won local, state, and national awards for her articles, including a 2002 Best in Business award from the Society of American Business Editors and Writers for her part in a series on the impact of out--migration on the Louisiana economy. Bongiorni graduated from the University of California, San Diego, and holds a mastera s degree in journalism from the University of Indiana at Bloomington.