What was your first job as a journalist?
Senior reporter at the University of Washington "Daily"
Have you ever used a typewriter?
Yes. I grew up playing with my dad's portable one!
How is social media changing news?
Reporters are drawing inspiration from online trends and outlets are featuring influencers to lure their followers into becoming readers.
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
Email, please!
Why did you become a journalist?
I love writing, and entertaining and informing readers.
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
No, but I edited the literary magazine.
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
A Hidden Compass essay. "Love in a Time of Abundance: Navigating grief with the Okavango Delta’s last generation of Bushmen hunter-gatherers"
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Ideally each pitch should explain "why THIS story (angle) right NOW (timely element) by YOU (expertise, unusual access, etc.).
When's the best time to pitch you?
Any time.
What's the worst pitch you ever got?
A freelancer followed me into a women's restroom after I gave a journalism lecture. What did she pitch? No idea. I was too busy escaping!
What's your favorite drink?
Sparkling water. But I also love black coffee and adult beverages!
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
Swimming or kayaking in Puget Sound, WA, USA
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
The Atlantic
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
Some people perceive travel writing as "fluffy," but it doesn't have to be!
