About ME
I’m Matthew Yoshimoto, an M.S. in Strategic Communication student at Columbia University and a recent UC Berkeley graduate, where I earned Highest Honors and the Departmental Citation. I currently work as a freelance reporter for the Silicon Valley Business Journal, building on a background in business journalism, marketing communications, and research.
My work has centered on making complex business and policy issues accessible to broader audiences. At the Silicon Valley Business Journal, I report on business, technology, real estate, and economic policy. I first joined the newsroom through the Dow Jones News Fund/American City Business Journals internship program before continuing as a freelancer. Covering Silicon Valley has given me a close look at how companies navigate growth, disruption, and change — and how the stories surrounding those decisions shape public understanding.
My journalism has also focused on the people and communities behind larger economic trends. At AsAmNews, I profile Asian American leaders across media, public service, higher education, and other industries, with work recognized by the U.S. Department of Labor and Senator Alex Padilla’s communications team. Previously, as Lead Business & Economy Reporter at The Daily Californian, I covered business, labor, economic development, and public policy to identify trends and communicate their implications to readers.
Beyond the newsroom, I’ve explored storytelling from an organizational perspective. For the City of Campbell, I worked on brand strategy, digital content, and audience engagement, learning how organizations tailor messages and platforms to reach different audiences and advance broader communication goals. This experience showed me how audience insights and intentional messaging can shape how companies connect with the communities they serve.
Research has strengthened the analytical side of my work. As research assistant to Dr. Jerome Karabel at UC Berkeley, I conducted data-driven research on business, public policy, and socioeconomic trends, translating findings into concise briefs and visualizations. I also conducted research at the Vienna University of Economics and Business using sentiment and discourse analysis to examine communication around inequality, racial justice, and politics.
Across these experiences, I’ve developed a foundation in analyzing data, understanding audiences, and telling clear, compelling stories. As I deepen my work in strategic communication, I hope to bring a journalist’s perspective to organizations — using research and audience insights to tell compelling stories, build trust, and communicate through change.
Pictured with fellow ACBJ/Dow Jones News Fund interns on the CBS Evening News set — an incredible behind-the-scenes look during our week of training in New York.
Stopping by The New Yorker offices was a surreal experience — a chance to step inside one of journalism’s most storied institutions.
A hallway lined with decades of New Yorker covers reminded us of the power of visual storytelling in shaping public imagination.
Sitting behind the CBS anchor desk, where we got a firsthand look at the fast-paced coordination and storytelling behind a national news broadcast.
Catching a breath of fresh air with fellow interns on a rooftop in Midtown Manhattan after a packed day of newsroom visits and training sessions.
Inside the legendary Vogue closet at Condé Nast — a fun and unexpected glimpse into the editorial process of one of fashion’s biggest names.
Covering the “Future of Fremont” event in June for the Silicon Valley Business Journal — one of many stories focused on local business trends.
Grateful to Garry D. Howard for leading our training with 24/7 wisdom and warmth.
Touring the New Yorker's podcast recording studio at Condé Nast gave us a behind-the-scenes look at how audio journalism is produced and distributed.
A Story About My Story
One look at Matthew Yoshimoto’s work and its clear representation is at the center of his inspiration. With dozens of articles following his journey from grade school to undergrad, a common theme rests at the forefront–diversity and the inclusion of marginalized voices.
Whether it’s an article about the first Vietnamese American astronaut in space, a lesser-known South Asian American political candidate’s ascent to a congressional seat, or an Asian American, Los Angeles Rams wide receiver’s journey to the NFL, his work highlights those he feels are often left out of the mainstream media conversation.
“A lot of the media that we consume is one or a few narratives, and that doesn’t really capture the overall experience in America,” Yoshimoto said. “There are so many different needs of different people that aren’t represented. I really want to bring that to the mainstream.”
When Yoshimoto (21) was first bitten by the journalism bug during his junior year of high school, he quickly ascended the ranks from writer to managing editor at Monta Vista High School’s award-winning student newspaper, El Estoque, at the start of his senior year by telling stories just like that.
At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Yoshimoto learned how important the profession could be when he published one of his first articles for the publication where he documented students’ waning mental health, a vital aspect of business policy in educational settings.
“Hearing people’s stories, hearing other people’s reactions to the stories when they read the articles, it was really interesting and something that I didn’t know I could make an impact at this young,” he said.
After matriculating to the University of California, Berkeley in 2022 to study history, public policy, and journalism, Yoshimoto covered topics ranging from Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) visibility, local legislation, campus protests, to small local businesses as the lead business and economy reporter for The Daily Californian, UC Berkeley’s student newspaper, focusing on economic reporting.
Despite his Japanese and Chinese background coupled with his efforts to highlight members of the AANHPI community, he admits that it wasn’t until he interned with Asian American News (AsAmNews) for him to fully understand his culture: “I’m learning about my culture through this publication, through the people I’m talking to.”
This summer, Yoshimoto will intern as a business reporter for the Silicon Valley Business Journal as a Dow Jones News Fund/American City Business Journals intern where he looks forward to gaining experience working in a professional newsroom, forming connections with colleagues and sources, and learning more about his interests.
Yoshimoto’s work ethic has left a lasting impression on his UC-Berkeley research apprenticeship professor, Jerome Karabel. Karabel believes Yoshimoto’s meticulous nature and strong work ethic will allow him to excel within any newsroom he enters.
“He has the desire to get things accurate. He’s very painstaking in gathering information and he has a real talent in explaining complex ideas in a lucid and accessible way,” Karabel said. “Journalism would be lucky to get him.”
Note: I'm grateful for this external look at my experience in the American City Business Journals—Dow Jones News Fund training program in New York City. Full credit to my colleague Christian Thomas for the piece, and thanks to Professor Jerome Karabel for the thoughtful perspective and kind words.