Kate Zernike is an American journalist and author known for her work as a reporter for The New York Times. She joined the paper in 2000 and has covered a variety of beats including education, Congress, and national politics. Zernike was part of the team that won the Pulitzer Prize for Explanatory Reporting in 2002 for the series "A Nation Challenged," which focused on the aftermath of the September 11 attacks. She is also the author of the book "Boiling Mad: Inside Tea Party America," which explores the rise of the Tea Party movement in American politics. Throughout her career, Zernike has garnered recognition for her incisive and detailed reporting on complex issues.