What was your first job as a journalist?
First job is yet to come!
Have you ever used a typewriter?
Yes! Not professionally, but to say I did.
How is social media changing news?
Social media is condensing news, and making some press release standards obsolete.
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
Tess Mercer, but I love Smallville too much.
What does it mean to be a journalist?
It means to serve the readers and to tell the truth. That is a good foundation.
What's the funniest news-related #hashtag you've seen?
Wow, I am drawing a blank. I should pay attention more to hashtags!
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
Just quickly. I want a conversation, not a paper to read.
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
The entire Adobe Suite and Grammarly are pretty good starts!
What's your favorite social network?
Twitter!
Who do you wish followed you?
I wish that Tom Verducci followed me. I really admire his work.
Why did you become a journalist?
Because I think this is still a thriving field, and I love writing and telling stories.
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
Yes, for four years! Loved it, and I climbed for sports writer to sports editor to overall editor by my junior year. I miss it!
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
I wrote a story about James E. Williams, a Navy veteran, that I am very proud of.
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Maintain your integrity and do not lose it for the sake of clicks.
When's the best time to pitch you?
In the evening, but I am available on socials for most of the day.
What's the best pitch you ever got?
The best pitch I ever got was "get on the podcast". I would rather get the invite and then figure out what we are talking about.
What's the worst pitch you ever got?
A huge river of text, with a whole resume and script and everything. It was information overload.
What's your favorite drink?
I love water. Shocking, I know.
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
On the ship!
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
For sure David Lesky's Substack.
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
That there is no one on it. Which is not that wrong.
