What was your first job as a journalist?
Staff Writer for the Citrus College Clarion newspaper.
Have you ever used a typewriter?
Yes.
How is social media changing news?
You see news in an instant on social media. You don't need to wait for the afternoon or evening news. We have untrained citizen journalists.
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
Murphy Brown.
What does it mean to be a journalist?
It means reporting the facts. Telling the truth. Not having an opinion. Uncovering untold stories.
What's the funniest news-related #hashtag you've seen?
Don't know.
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
By e-mail. And be sure to tell me who, what, when, where, why and how.
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
Just Google Chrome and MS Word. Plus a dictionary and a thesaurus.
What's your favorite social network?
At this moment, Instagram.
Who do you wish followed you?
That is not a wish I have.
Why did you become a journalist?
I was inspired by the local TV journalists I watched growing up in Los Angeles. I saw them as truth seekers and fact checkers.
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
No, but I was EIC of my community college newspaper, the Citrus College Clarion. Amazing times.
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
My first print article for Los Angeles magazine, because it was my first print article for a major publication. It was a dating guide.
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Always have three sources and it's more important to be right than being first.
When's the best time to pitch you?
Midday.
What's the best pitch you ever got?
I'm still waiting for it.
What's the worst pitch you ever got?
I got the worst pitch every day, so it always changes, lol.
What's your favorite drink?
Water. And Mountain Dew when I need to stay up late.
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
At an event or with family.
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
Los Angeles Times
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
That it is always fun.
