What was your first job as a journalist?
Writing obituaries for my hometown newspaper Tulsa World.
How is social media changing news?
It is easier to find stories and what people are talking about, but it is also making harder to vet and verify information.
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
Tally Atwater from Up Close and Personal
What's the funniest news-related #hashtag you've seen?
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
I'm a millennial so I check everything still :)
What's your favorite social network?
Instagram & TikTok
Who do you wish followed you?
Oprah, Beyonce, and Rihanna... Honorable mention: Drake
Why did you become a journalist?
Oprah
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
My school didn't have a high school newspaper.
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
Joplin 2011 Tornadoes
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Study the greats (I studied Boyd Huppert, Soledad O'Brien & Damany Lewis), practice your craft, seek mentorship and be consistent.
What's the best pitch you ever got?
Fracking (man-made earthquakes) near a local neighborhood in Oklahoma was causing structural damage to houses in the area.
What's the worst pitch you ever got?
I'm a rapper you should do a story on me.
What's your favorite drink?
Dr. Pepper/Mountain Dew Koolee from Kum & Go
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
Sephora or Ulta... Possibly Target.
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
Southern Living, Washington Post, New York Times, Variety, Rolling Stone, and Tulsa World (my hometown newspaper).
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
I cover artists, releases, and general news. I cover the music industry (business side) and technology.
