What was your first job as a journalist?
I began as a travel columnist for The Philadelphia Sun Newspaper.
Have you ever used a typewriter?
Yes.
How is social media changing news?
Social media allows journalists to introduce readers to lesser known sites and attractions and to reach a specialized audience.
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
Dr. Watson
What does it mean to be a journalist?
Journalists are keepers of the flame. A responsible journalist seeks the truth and the stories that might otherwise be lost.
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
via email
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
I use books and a computer.
Who do you wish followed you?
Jordan Peele
Why did you become a journalist?
I wanted to write about historic sites and cultural institutions that were less well known and included the stories of various ethnic groups.
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
I had a gossip column in the high school newspaper, "Grapes from the Vine".
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
I am most proud of my travel series on driving across South Africa.
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Write about places and topics that speak to you personally and that you feel should be shared.
When's the best time to pitch you?
I set my editorial calendar at the start of the year so it is best to pitch to me January-March.
What's your favorite drink?
Arnold Palmers
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
I most often spend my leisure time reading.
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
Smithsonian
