What was your first job as a journalist?
I had many internships and college newspaper experience, but my first real, full-time, permanent job was covering city hall for The Advocate.
Have you ever used a typewriter?
Yes! When I was a child.
How is social media changing news?
It's making it better -- we're faster to the punch, and people can now read stories about what interests them from all over the world.
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
Rory Gilmore and Hildy Johnson, of course.
What does it mean to be a journalist?
Being a journalist means being able to translate emotion, belief, conflict and resolution into words, pictures and videos.
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
Via email, phone or in-person
What's your favorite social network?
It depends why I'm using it. Twitter for news, Facebook or Instagram for fun.
Why did you become a journalist?
I have always loved telling stories and writing. I was sold when I realized I could do those while holding people accountable.
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
Managing Editor at Lafayette High School's Parlez-Vous newspaper
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
Covering the movie theater mass shooting in Lafayette, La., because it's my hometown. It'll always have a special place in my heart.
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Talk to people. Find what makes that "boring, daily story" into something great. Be brave.
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
Dancing, having a laugh with my friends, enjoying a bite of pasta
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
The New Yorker
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
People don't realize how multi-faceted city government is. It touches everything, including every other beat at the paper.
