What was your first job as a journalist?
Assistant Opinion Editor of my college paper.
Have you ever used a typewriter?
Not functionally.
How is social media changing news?
It makes it much easier and faster to get news, but it makes the process of getting news less reliable overall.
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
Perd Hapley.
What does it mean to be a journalist?
Sharing stories that have marked impacts within larger, relevant narratives.
What's the funniest news-related #hashtag you've seen?
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
Via email.
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
Camera, computer, recorder, notebook and pen. Adobe Creative Cloud, Microsoft Word, Google Drive.
What's your favorite social network?
Instagram
Who do you wish followed you?
Crissy Teigen and Kanye West.
Why did you become a journalist?
Originally because writing and reporting came easily. As I got more into it, it became about the role of journalism in society.
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
Yes, I was the editor of my high school paper. I wrote, edited and designed the paper. Managing high schoolers is hard.
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
Breaking news as an intern on a local wildlife sanctuary's questionable practices and citations.
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Take initiative and take your weekends off when you can. Unplug every once in a while, even for an hour or two.
When's the best time to pitch you?
Weekdays, early afternoon.
What's the worst pitch you ever got?
There's a guy who sends me a lot of passive-aggressive emails suggesting I'm foolish for not already knowing about his latest pitch.
What's your favorite drink?
Bulleit Rye & water.
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
In my car.
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
CityLab
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
That it's constantly being treated to great food. Sometimes the food sucks and often you have to deal with a lot of chaos.
