Mary Ellen Cagnassola
Mary Ellen (M.E.) Cagnassola is a former reporter at Money, where she covered Social Security policy, retirement, housing, lifestyle, and employment. Joining Money in 2022, M.E. brought with her years of experience covering local communities in her home state of New Jersey and U.S. news for national outlets, including Newsweek and People.
Since earning a B.A. in English and journalism and media studies from Rutgers University in 2017, M.E. has written about a wide range of topics. As the lead reporter for TAPinto Newark from 2019 to 2021, she won awards from the Center for Cooperative Media and the Society of Professional Journalists-New Jersey for her coverage of COVID-19, domestic violence, homelessness, eviction, police brutality, city government, and more. She also served on the board of the Society of Professional Journalists-New Jersey from 2021 to 2023.
During her time at Money, M.E.’s work reflected her dedication to service and equity, with consumer finance stories informed by her roots in community journalism. Some of her favorite topics included the financial toll of caring for aging parents, sales taxes on diapers and period products, the booming personal loan industry, and the customer service crisis at the Social Security Administration.
When not reporting, M.E. occasionally made TikTok videos for Money from her home in New York City, often featuring her cat and Money’s in-house acting talent, Willow.
