Lena V. Groeger

Graphics Director

Photo of Lena V. Groeger

Lena V. Groeger is the graphics director at ProPublica, where she oversees a team of interactive visual storytellers who create information graphics and graphical stories. She has been recognized for her work through numerous awards, including the Malofiej Awards for Infographics and the Society for News Design awards. She has taught classes on design and data visualization at New York University, The New School and City University of New York, and she’s a founding member of the Data Institute, a two-week workshop where journalists learn about design, data and code.

Prior to joining ProPublica in 2011, she covered health and science at Scientific American and Wired magazine. She has a degree in science journalism from NYU.

Homeschooling Regulations by State

Homeschooling has been legal throughout the United States for about 25 years, but regulations vary dramatically across the country. Use our map to compare how laws vary by state.

Treatment Tracker

We've updated our database of Medicare’s payments to individual doctors and other health professionals serving the 49 million seniors and disabled in its Part B program.

Treatment Tracker Methodology

How we made a news app to compare doctors Medicare billing patterns.

What ProPublica is Doing About Diversity

ProPublica is working hard to increase the diversity of our workplace. Here’s what we’re up to:

New Dollars for Docs

Pharmaceutical and medical device companies paid billions to doctors from late 2013 through 2014, new data shows. Search for your doctor in our interactive database.

On Repeat: How to Use Loops to Explain Anything

From animated gifs to looping interactives, we're seeing more and more ways of presenting ideas, explaining processes, and just capturing small moments in endless, repeating sequences. Here's how loops work and how you can use them.

Cruise Control

Your one-stop shop for health and safety data on cruise ships

Methodology for Workers’ Comp Benefits: How Much is a Limb Worth?

How ProPublica gathered and analyzed state workers’ compensation laws to find out the maximum each states pays per limb.

Workers’ Comp Benefits: How Much is a Limb Worth?

If you suffer a permanent injury on the job, you’re typically entitled to compensation for the damage to your body and your future lost wages. But depending on the state, benefits for the same body part can differ dramatically.

The Human Toll of Flashbangs

At least 50 Americans have been seriously injured, maimed or killed by flashbangs since 2000. Here are their stories.

Open Payments Explorer: How Much Industry Money Goes to Doctors and Teaching Hospitals

Beginning in 2014, the federal government mandated that pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers publicly report payments made to doctors and teaching hospitals. The first report covered the last five months of 2013. Use this tool to search for a company, drug or device — and compare it to another.

Will My Obamacare Health Plan Costs Go Up?

The open enrollment season for health insurance plans under the Affordable Care Act is open until Feb. 15, 2015. Our interactive tool lets you compare plans before you renew your insurance through the federal exchange.

Big Changes in Fine Print of Some 2015 Obamacare Plans

A ProPublica analysis found that many health insurance plans offered in the federal Affordable Care Act marketplace are changing their benefits heading into 2015. Consumers have until Dec. 15 to switch plans before they are automatically re-enrolled.

The Millions New York Counties Coulda Got

In 1999, New York counties had a choice to make. They had just been promised annual payments from tobacco companies as part of a national settlement to reimburse them for smoking-related health care costs. Like winning the lottery, they could either get small payments indefinitely -- or take a lump sum immediately by entering into "securitization" deals. Counties knew that these deals would mean less money in the long run, but bankers said they offered protection in case the payments shrank or went away. Now the cost is clear: millions pledged to investors that counties could have kept for themselves.

How We Analyzed New York County Tobacco Bonds

Users can see how interest rates and declining cigarette sales affect the bottom line for counties that borrowed against income from the landmark tobacco settlement.

A Big Article About Wee Things

"The details are not the details. They MAKE the design." A guide to using little things to make better graphics and interactives.

Treatment Tracker

Medicare recently released, for the first time, details on 2012 payments to individual doctors and other health professionals serving the 46 million seniors and disabled in its Part B program. Part B covers services as varied as office visits, ambulance mileage, lab tests, and the doctor’s fee for open-heart surgery. Use this tool to find and compare providers.

Temp Worker Regulations Around the World

The United States has some of the weakest labor protections for temp workers in the developed world. Here, we map out how countries compare based on data compiled by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.

ER Wait Watcher

Which emergency room will see you the fastest? We've got a handy guide for impatient outpatients.

Follow ProPublica

Latest Stories from ProPublica