Tech/equipment editor @FarmDaily. MFA in creative nonfiction. Previously @TheRecorderNews @DailyHampGaz @GoNOMAD @AmerCityCounty @MDCollegian @WWLP22News
Interview
What was your first job as a journalist?
My first job, other than writing for my university's newspaper, was as a media intern at the North East Climate Science Center.
Have you ever used a typewriter?
I was an English major in undergrad, and sometimes wrote with a typewriter.
How is social media changing news?
These days, everyone can tell their own story. News comes from firsthand accounts. Increasingly, journalists are becoming curators of news.
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
The first journalist I encountered and aspired to be, before I knew I wanted to be a journalist, was Peter Parker.
What does it mean to be a journalist?
Journalists are storytellers. Storytelling is at the job's core.
What's the funniest news-related #hashtag you've seen?
I worked with a reporter from New York City once who, in a story, called the woods "a field of trees."
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
I prefer to be pitched through email. Phone calls don't work, because I sometimes forget about it the moment I'm off the phone.
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
At work, I write in a system called GN4. I process photographs in Adobe Lightroom, and edit videos with Adobe Premiere and Final Cut Pro.
What's your favorite social network?
A few months ago I might have said Facebook. But today I like Instagram. It's just simpler and easier to use.
Who do you wish followed you?
To be honest, I don't really care who follows me.
Why did you become a journalist?
I fell into the job accidentally, after working as an EMT, caricature artist, and firefighter. My first real journo job was at a TV station.
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
I was homeschooled, and didn't work for a high school newspaper. I didn't get find journalism until I was in my 20s.
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
I'm most proud of writing human interest stories that shed light on a problem or triumph, no matter how small, that someone has experienced.
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Learn photography. The industry is changing quickly, and, more than ever, journalists must be able to tell stories with more than words.
When's the best time to pitch you?
The best time to pitch me is, honestly, at night, after I've filtered through my emails for the day.
What's the best pitch you ever got?
The best pitch I've ever gotten is the next one.
What's the worst pitch you ever got?
Any pitch that sounds like it was written in a corporate office is the worst pitch I've ever received.
What's your favorite drink?
My favorite drink is coffee.
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
I'll likely by in the weight room. Journalism is stressful. Positive physical outlets for managing stress are necessary.
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
I most enjoy reading the New York Times.
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
Some people are surprised I write about hyper-local stories. I think it's because the internet has changed readers' news expectations.
Would you like to take the Muck Rack Interview?
Create a Muck Rack profile.