Dear Reader,

First, allow me to introduce myself. I'm Robin Sparkman, ProPublica’s new president and co-CEO. My first day at ProPublica was just last Wednesday. I am a former journalist, and I spent the past eight years as the CEO of StoryCorps, a nonprofit media organization. I am thrilled to join such a fiercely committed team of employees and members like you, and to take the helm from the brilliant and fearless Dick Tofel.

Second, I want to share with you our newest Report to Stakeholders, out this week. You can download it here. The report covers May through August of this year, and it gives you an inside look at our series “The Secret IRS Files,” an ongoing analysis of American wealth and inequality that reveals in startling detail precisely how the richest Americans routinely — and usually perfectly legally — sidestep the U.S. tax system.

The report also reflects the impact of our work, including legislation to increase benefits and protections for families of brain-damaged babies in Florida, heightened scrutiny and oversight of clean-energy home loans in Missouri and a renewed effort in Congress to rein in the practice of converting Roth IRAs into gargantuan onshore tax shelters.

I am deeply honored to join this organization, and I want to thank you for helping ProPublica shine a light on injustice and hold power to account by reading, sharing and supporting our work.

Best Wishes,

Robin Sparkman