About Me

Finding Inspiration in Every Turn

Hey y’all — I’m Kati Moody.

I’m a journalist, educator, and relentless believer in the power of local stories to shape the future. I’ve spent the last decade in rural Texas newsrooms and classrooms — mentoring student reporters by day, editing by night, and dreaming up ways to make small-town journalism not just survive, but thrive.

West Texas Wire is my latest big, stubborn idea.

It’s not just a website. It’s a platform built on people. We cover local government, education, the arts, and everyday community life with heart, hustle, and high standards. We’re here to ask good questions, make good trouble, and build something that lasts — even if we don’t.

This space was created to give a voice to stories that matter, empower the next generation of media professionals, and rewire how we think about journalism in rural America.

Thanks for being here. Stick around — I think we’re onto something.

My Story

I got my start in journalism at 15 years old—typing up sports stories for the Levelland News-Press with absolutely no idea how the game was played. What I did know, even then, was that I wanted to be a journalist.

At first, the dream was big: foreign correspondence, bylines around the world. But what I found instead was something more personal—and more powerful. When I started writing feature stories, spending time with people, listening to them, and telling their stories with care, I fell in love with it. That’s when I realized: this is what journalism is supposed to be.

I graduated from the University of North Texas in 2016 and came home—back to Levelland—to give my own community the kind of journalism it deserves. I saw the cracks forming even then. The challenge of funding print while trying to break into digital media left little room for innovation. So, I pivoted. I started teaching, hoping to light that same fire in my students and show them how critical journalism is—especially in rural places like ours.

But over time, I’ve realized this isn’t just a local problem. It’s a systemic one. We don’t just need passionate young journalists—we need places for them to land. Jobs that pay a livable wage. Opportunities that give them room to grow. That’s what West Texas Wire is all about.

It’s a newsroom, yes—but it’s also a launchpad. A creative hub. A promise that rural journalism doesn’t have to fade away. It just needs a new model. And that starts here.