What was your first job as a journalist?
I worked at a small-town newspaper in Iowa. I learned so much, particularly that there's a story everywhere.
Have you ever used a typewriter?
I haven't had the pleasure.
How is social media changing news?
With the flick of a finger, we can see 12 different articles from different outlets that are relevant and timely.
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
Stephen Colbert, The Colbert Report.
What does it mean to be a journalist?
As a journalist, ordinary people with breath-taking stories let you into their lives every day. I believe it's our responsibility to tell those stories accurately and with integrity.
What's the funniest news-related #hashtag you've seen?
isn't a funny hashtag. Shia LaBeouf using it to hitchhike is.
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
Eye-catching leads will take you far.
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
LexisNexis, Archive.org, state and county court records, InDesign, Photoshop, GarageBand, iMovie, TweetDeck, Curalate.
What's your favorite social network?
Twitter.
Who do you wish followed you?
Chris Jones from Esquire.
Why did you become a journalist?
I love meeting new people, chatting them up, and telling their stories in a way that makes a difference.
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
We didn't have one (small town), but I worked on the yearbook proofreading and writing copy.
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
My features about human trafficking and refugee resettlement.
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
A story is always better if you can go to a place and see it in person—even if it means driving 8 hours to a feedlot. Been there.
When's the best time to pitch you?
7 a.m. during the week.
What's the best pitch you ever got?
It was a succinct, timely message proposing an interview with someone I liked.
What's the worst pitch you ever got?
A pitch revolving around the same story the publication had just run.
What's your favorite drink?
Green tea.
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
Hiking, running, reading, petting a dog, or some combination of the four.
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
Can I call it a four-way tie? Esquire, GQ, The Atlantic, The New York Times.
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
Politics writers don't have senses of humor. This could be applied to most writers.
