About

Katie Ham is a freelance journalist and writer based in Tokyo, Japan.

She began her career in the Stuff Auckland newsroom, before moving to The Post and Sunday-Star Times in Wellington, where she worked as a senior reporter covering crime, justice and investigations.

Her journalism has focused on major criminal investigations, high-profile missing persons cases and the inner workings of the justice system. Her work has contributed to active homicide inquiries, and examined the decisions and pressures shaping modern policing.

Katie’s work is grounded in human-centred storytelling, with a focus on the individuals and lived experiences behind broader issues.

She was named Best Student Journalist at the Voyager Media Awards in 2023, and received the Alex Veysey Award in 2022.

The Veysey Award is named after the legendary Wellington journalist who matched hard-working professionalism with an appreciation of life and culture. Peers vote for the winner, who is said to epitomise Veysey’s love of life and ability to find a story wherever he went.

Now based out of Japan, she writes across travel and culture, with a particular interest in stories that explore place through people, and that examine the intersection of New Zealand and Japanese culture.

When time allows, Katie continues her crime and investigative reporting.

She has work published in: Stuff, The Sunday-Star Times, The Post, The Press, The Waikato Times, Radio New Zealand and Capsule NZ.

Katie graduated with a Distinction in Postgraduate Journalism from Massey University, NZ and First Class Honours in her undergraduate in Philosophy from the University of Bristol, UK.