What was your first job as a journalist?
I was a freelance reporter covering the Suffolk County Legislature for the Babylon Beacon.
Have you ever used a typewriter?
Yes
How is social media changing news?
Unfortunately, it is changing how news is consumed, which is leading to badly written stories or stories that are rushed and not vetted.
What does it mean to be a journalist?
To identify the right story for your reader, to do your best to report accurately and to be as fair as possible when writing the story.
What's the funniest news-related #hashtag you've seen?
Nothing comes to mind.
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
E-mail.
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
Always been a fan of Mac products. The Microsoft Office suite of products is key, and Google products are increasingly important.
What's your favorite social network?
Twitter and Instagram
Who do you wish followed you?
Barack Obama
Why did you become a journalist?
Always loved watching the news and reading newspapers. And I was terrible at math.
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
I didn't
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
Wrote a story as a young journalist about government officials receiving unused vacation/sick pay illegally.
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Learn about the past. Knowing history is key to understanding the present.
When's the best time to pitch you?
Whenever.
What's the best pitch you ever got?
Again, hard to pinpoint one. I think the best ones are those that understand what I write about.
What's the worst pitch you ever got?
The worst pitches I receive are those that have no relevance to what I cover and are clearly part of a mass distribution list.
What's your favorite drink?
Maker's Mark & Coke
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
At the gym or watching professional soccer/football.
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
Washington Post
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
Don't think there is one.
