What was your first job as a journalist?
I was a reporting intern at the Salinas Californian.
Have you ever used a typewriter?
Yes, when I was much younger.
How is social media changing news?
It's much faster pace.
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
They're real journalists, but the portrayal of the Boston Globe Spotlight team are among my favorites in the movies.
What does it mean to be a journalist?
To tell the truth and good stories.
What's the funniest news-related #hashtag you've seen?
I don't remember. I don't pay much attention to hastags (though I probably should.
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
Email
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
Ulysses, WordPress, Scrivener, Word, Skype, Pear Note
What's your favorite social network?
Instagram
Who do you wish followed you?
David Quammen
Why did you become a journalist?
Curiosity
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
No, I sadly did not.
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
An investigative piece looking into a cacao company cutting down rainforest in Peru.
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Pitch everywhere. Don't ever forget to indulge your curiosity.
When's the best time to pitch you?
Anytime is fine.
What's the best pitch you ever got?
I've gotten a lot of good ones about wildlife studies that have just enough information to pique my interest.
What's the worst pitch you ever got?
Probably about some product that's not anywhere near my beat as an environment reporter.
What's your favorite drink?
Manhattan
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
Reading, hiking or by the ocean.
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
The Atlantic
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
That we're beholden to activists and conservation organizations.
