Interview
What was your first job as a journalist?
The paste-up room. Yes, I know this makes me a dinosaur.
Have you ever used a typewriter?
To type with?
How is social media changing news?
It's more immediate, more interactive, and can be another tool.
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
Hildy Johnson
What does it mean to be a journalist?
People trust you with their stories. People trust you to enlighten them, and report the truth.
What's the funniest news-related #hashtag you've seen?
#PartyLikeaJournalist, because we're a really sarcastic bunch.
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
Email, with bullet points
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
That would be a long list. Social media, photo editing software, video editing software, Trint for transcription, Smart Post, Planoly ...
What's your favorite social network?
Depends on what I'm trying to do. Twitter is great for meetings, but Facebook Live is great, and I also like what you can do with Instagram.
Who do you wish followed you?
The late Molly Ivins
Why did you become a journalist?
I've known I wanted to be a journalist since fourth grade. Thanks, Ms. Kropinicki.
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
Yes. I was the editor my senior year.
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
Being trusted with the story of an immigrant mother who came to the country to get better care for her terminally ill children.
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
You have to have a desire to constantly learn. The first time you walk into a story thinking you know it all, you've lost your edge.
When's the best time to pitch you?
After I've had my coffee. So 9:30ish Central.
What's the best pitch you ever got?
It was from a PR person who clearly had taken the time to get to know our publication, and knew exactly what I would want to know.
What's the worst pitch you ever got?
A guy started it with, "Hey Babe..."
What's your favorite drink?
Have I been at a school board meeting, or is it just another day?
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
Spending time with my family, or driving.
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
The Atlantic, Vanity Fair, Texas Tribune
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
That it's fluffy.
Would you like to take the Muck Rack Interview?
Create a Muck Rack profile.