What was your first job as a journalist?
I was a reporter for my elementary school newspaper. One of my first interviews was Pittsburgh Steelers kicker Gary Anderson.
Have you ever used a typewriter?
A what? Oh, I was very young when my parents showed me what a typewriter was. A friend collects typewriters. I'll take an iPad.
How is social media changing news?
News isn't changing (well, sometimes it is dumbed down). How we consume news has changed since the beginning of time.
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
Jack Deveraux from "Days of our Lives." That man can die multiple times and still get a story!
What does it mean to be a journalist?
It's a humbling experience to know the stories I'm writing are helping to let people know what's happening in the world.
What's the funniest news-related #hashtag you've seen?
Whenever there is breaking news, there always seems to be some odd hashtag that makes me think, "Really?"
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
Oddly enough, e-mail. Facebook and Twitter move too fast and don't offer a lot of detail. Print materials get lost in the clutter of my desk.
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
Most important: My iPhone. I'm also a fan of a pen and one of those single-column reporter notebooks. Oh, and a nice Mac Mini.
What's your favorite social network?
Pinterest, even though I rarely use it. But the site always makes me hungry and ambitious! Someday I'll have free time to do those projects!
Who do you wish followed you?
On Twitter? . In real life? Nobody. I don't want to always look behind me.
Why did you become a journalist?
The excitement of meeting people, sharing their stories and explaining to the world what is happening at any given moment.
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
Not only my high school paper (MoonBeams — editor), but I started at my elementary school newspaper!
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
Any story that makes a kid's scrapbook. Growing up, it was so fun being quoted in news stories — and I still have them!
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Don't listen to the naysayers. Journalism isn't dying. It's thriving. There are more options than ever for journalists.
When's the best time to pitch you?
Any time! E-mail works best, so send it at 2 a.m. if that's when you do your best work!
