What was your first job as a journalist?
Reporter for the new local newspaper in town.
How is social media changing news?
Instantaneous response to everything, major and minor, with no or minimal fact checking. The good news is, everyone has a voice.
What does it mean to be a journalist?
Being a journalist means connecting the dots on a topic in a new way and grabbing readers' interest to read and learn.
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
Email pitches catered to my interests that are succinct and relevant to my portfolio.
What's your favorite social network?
Instagram! Short and sweet. Descriptive. To the point.
Who do you wish followed you?
David Sedaris
Why did you become a journalist?
I like researching a broad spectrum of topics, and I like talking to people and finding out what makes them tick.
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
no
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
An early article was about salt---its history and trends in using salt from many countries. Celebrity Chef Thomas Kelly said he liked it.
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Work hard. Network. Pay your dues. Volunteer. Check, double check your copy. Smile.
When's the best time to pitch you?
Late morning, Calif. time
What's the best pitch you ever got?
Wines not for a holiday or a major event but just for everyday happy day. A pitch that had no b.s.
What's the worst pitch you ever got?
Any pitch that says their product is revolutionary.
What's your favorite drink?
Very dirty vodka martini
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
Going for a walk or cooking
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
The New Yorker
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
That I care about the latest coffee pod product or the latest extreme, luxury glamping company.
