What was your first job as a journalist?
Covering the schools of a central Massachusetts town
Have you ever used a typewriter?
Yes, but not since elementary school. I thought my friend's electric typewriter was the coolest thing ever.
How is social media changing news?
Social is making news more collaborative across the entire ecosystem. It also means you can track events in real-time, which is awesome.
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
Lois Lane ... I love those legs.
What does it mean to be a journalist?
Composing the first draft of history, acting as the voice of citizenry to investigate the powerful and shine a light on shadowy stuff.
What's the funniest news-related #hashtag you've seen?
I honestly can't think of any funny ones I've seen lately.
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
Generally with an interesting press release that gives me a reason to care about a story ... sent via email.
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
Microsoft Word, the Google for research and keyword targeting, and a few dozen news websites.
What's your favorite social network?
Twitter. Definitely twitter.
Who do you wish followed you?
Jon Stewart, Joie Chen, and Fareed Zakaria.
Why did you become a journalist?
Because I believe in the power of the press to give a voice to the voiceless and inform the public to what they need to know.
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
I did! I wrote feature stories, arts coverage, and was the treasurer my senior year.
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
An opinion piece that I wrote responding to a flap in the Wall Street Journal. It flowed out so well, and I loved the conclusions I made.
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Get an internship, or at the very least start as a stringer for your local paper. You need experience way more than you need a classroom.
When's the best time to pitch you?
Right around 11 am
