What was your first job as a journalist?
I started out as a freelance photographer and assistant video editor for the (now defunct) Window Media newspapers in 2009.
Have you ever used a typewriter?
I used a typewriter in my youth, though they were obsolete by the time I was a teenager.
How is social media changing news?
The photo, headline and subhead is everything . . . even more so that it always has been.
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
I can only think of Clark Kent and Peter Parker: neither of whom are particularly good at their jobs.
What does it mean to be a journalist?
To be in the room to witness history and then to share that as far and wide as possible. To document, to pry, to hold power to account.
What's the funniest news-related #hashtag you've seen?
I can't repeat it here, but I did laugh.
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
Email
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
In my job, I use cameras, lenses and camera and lighting equipment of all sort. I use computers with photo editing software.
What's your favorite social network?
I regularly post to Threads, Facebook and Instagram.
Who do you wish followed you?
I'm thankful that people see things that I work on.
Why did you become a journalist?
Accident. I started helping a friend by carrying equipment and became hooked.
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
A career in journalism was not something I considered as a young person.
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
It is impossible to say one thing like that: there are many great memories and things I am proud of. But the news keeps happening, so . . .
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Build a portfolio.
When's the best time to pitch you?
It doesn't matter for email.
What's the best pitch you ever got?
Well-written, directed to me specifically and tailored to the needs of the newspaper. Link to high-res photos and credit info a plus.
What's the worst pitch you ever got?
I don't rank them. I just bite when I see something relevant to the paper.
What's your favorite drink?
Water
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
An assignment, driving to an assignment, or asleep
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
I read many news sources every day. So, I unwind by listening to podcasts. If I'm reading for fun, it would be fiction.
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
I cover the LGBTQ community. There are many misperceptions about our community, but less so about my work in it. I take the photos. Simple.
