What was your first job as a journalist?
Staff photojournalist.
Have you ever used a typewriter?
Yes, I love analog devices.
How is social media changing news?
It's completely shaken up how news is reported, both positively and negatively, and journalists need to adapt daily to maintain audiences.
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
Peter Parker/Spider-Man
What does it mean to be a journalist?
To tell the truth, no matter the stakes.
What's the funniest news-related #hashtag you've seen?
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
Succinctly.
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
Adobe Creative Cloud for the creative work, general Apple applications for writing, social media channels and analytics tools, and BLOX CMS.
What's your favorite social network?
Instagram.
Who do you wish followed you?
I wouldn't mind a follow from some of the leadership within Washington D.C. newsrooms.
Why did you become a journalist?
I enjoy the art of storytelling, but also believe people should be met where they are with facts so they can shape their daily lives.
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
We didn't have one, but I worked for my college newspaper. I started as a photographer and held the art director position for two years.
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
I'm most proud of my coverage of politics and current issues in Washington D.C. for Project Upland from 2020-23.
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
You need to know how to do everything that supports the normal, daily functions of a newsroom, just in case.
When's the best time to pitch you?
Mid-morning, between 10 a.m. and noon.
What's the best pitch you ever got?
How a distillery and brewery planned on saving native brook trout in Appalachia.
What's the worst pitch you ever got?
Oh, a lot; too many to remember just one ... all of them over a few pints at a bar, though.
What's your favorite drink?
Abolitionist Ale Works "Alpha Mayle" IPA
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
Walking around snapping 35mm film photos.
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
The Washington Post
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
That community news isn't nuanced.
