What was your first job as a journalist?
It was barely journalism, but as a 14-yr-old myself and a friend got the nascent fX network to let us write their official email newsletter.
Have you ever used a typewriter?
Yes! Got my start using an old green Remington with heavy keys. For Christmas one year I got a Brother electric typewriter/word processor.
How is social media changing news?
It allows it reach more people faster than ever before. But it makes it reactionary and leaves little to no space for nuance/reflection.
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
Danny from West Wing. Lois Lane, of course. Jake Sisko from Deep Space Nine.
What does it mean to be a journalist?
To discover the best obtainable version of the truth, presenting it with context and objectivity. (Not neutrality!)
What's the funniest news-related #hashtag you've seen?
Not a hashtag, but during the immediate aftermath every single "Covfefe" tweet was funny.
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
Email. Twitter/Meta DM also works.
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
Call me basic, but I still love Microsoft Word and my favorite CMS is WordPress.
What's your favorite social network?
I wish it wasn't Twitter since the ownership change. But I stay because of the community I've built there.
Who do you wish followed you?
Anyone from a "Star" franchise, and everyone else. I'm a fun follow, I swear!
Why did you become a journalist?
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
Yes. A lot of times I wrote at least 50% of the paper, and all the articles that would get us in trouble.
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
A 2014 piece for Revelist/HuffPo defending Colin Kaepernick's protest as quintessentially American.
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Use social media wisely. Be kind to everyone you meet. Be patient. Be committed to the truth. Tell a good story.
When's the best time to pitch you?
It's less about the time and more about a clear, direct subject line.
What's the best pitch you ever got?
An email from a PR firm about a Succession-inspired sex toy. It was truly ludicrous.
What's the worst pitch you ever got?
See the answer about the Succession-inspired sex toy.
What's your favorite drink?
Iced black coffee. I fully accept I am a monster and must be stopped.
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
Reading a book, spending time with family or at the movie theater. Stories are my favorite things.
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
Anything my friends write for. National Geographic. I still have a soft spot for Vanity Fair and GQ. Also, Poets
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
That politics is a "team sports" sort of thing where if one side wins the other side has to lose. Not always 2 sides to an issue.
