What was your first job as a journalist?
Weekend reporter at the Bozeman Daily Chronicle
Have you ever used a typewriter?
I used to collect them. I typed faster on them because of the tactile feedback. I still remember how to center text on a typewriter too.
How is social media changing news?
Social media is turning each reporter into a brand as they interact with and advertise their work online. It is now a more personal career.
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
The character Michael Keaton played in "The Paper," Henry Hackett.
What does it mean to be a journalist?
Journalists stand up for those who cannot speak for themselves, and they hold all government to account.
What's the funniest news-related #hashtag you've seen?
I'm a big fan of , in part because the cast of characters in our newsroom make contributing to it so effortless.
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
I prefer to be emailed or contacted on social networks like Twitter. Phone calls are intrusive and seldom move me.
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
All of them. Chiefly Coda, Chrome, Firefox, FCP7, Audacity, Tableau, Google everything, Markdown, Wordpress, you name it.
What's your favorite social network?
Hmm. I'm tempted to say Twitter because it brings me so many interesting links, but Facebook is where the people are.
Who do you wish followed you?
An Amazon drone dropping the latest Apple gadgets. Or Neil Gaiman and Wil Wheaton.
Why did you become a journalist?
I was graduating from college with an English degree and scrambling for a job, and there was a classified ad for a weekend reporter job.
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
I was the editor and layout person. We only published a two-page spread inserted into our local weekly.
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
I wrote a magazine feature about a small-town school's Science Olympiad team in 2012 in Bozeman, Mont. Great kids, great story.
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
You can't do everything by phone. No stories are beneath you. Some things need to be covered every year.
When's the best time to pitch you?
Before noon, Mountain time.
