What was your first job as a journalist?
I wrote regional business stories as a newspaper freelancer.
Have you ever used a typewriter?
Yes. Not professionally.
How is social media changing news?
The answer to this is very much in flux as social media is changing. I think it doesn't change news as much as people think.
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
Perry White
What does it mean to be a journalist?
Do good work, get better every day, help people understand their world better.
What's the funniest news-related #hashtag you've seen?
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
Email is best
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
Slack, iPhone, ChatGPT, Office, Google Docs, huge fan of cloud-based storage.
What's your favorite social network?
I generally don't enjoy social networks.
Who do you wish followed you?
Nobody. But I'd love a conversation with David Grann.
Why did you become a journalist?
I realized that finding out new things, having new experiences, and understanding and explaining what is happening were passions of mine.
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
No, no high school paper.
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
Any one that has made someone understand their past better, or get involved in their community, aiming to make a difference
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Be flexible, but quickly figure out what kind of work you do, what you're passionate about, and always keep heading in that direction.
When's the best time to pitch you?
Doesn't matter.
What's the best pitch you ever got?
The best pitch is always from someone I've learned to trust, who I know wouldn't waste my time on a bad pitch.
What's the worst pitch you ever got?
Mass emails that are based information about my beats and job locations that are over a decade old. Worse: "circle back" emails on those.
What's your favorite drink?
Most types of coffee that aren't 90% sugar.
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
Grocery shopping as a meditative experience
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
Wired.
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
That it's about getting inside the mind of murderers.
