Have you ever used a typewriter?
When I was 8 years old, my parents gave me a pink portable Smith Corona typewriter, and I published my own neighborhood newspaper with it.
What does it mean to be a journalist?
I link arms with others who believe in our freedom to discover and report. Press freedom is human freedom.
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
My tech stack includes the client's preferred methods plus Google docs, Slack, Grammarly, time tracking, and content management.
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
I've worked on newspapers my entire life, down to running the mimeograph machine and drawing cartoons.
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
I am proud of the stories I did to shine a light on injustice, women's challenges, keeping people safe, and discrimination and bias.
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
To enjoy life as a writer and journalist: Adopt solid work habits. Set up systems. Don't let people down. Aim high. Make friends.
What's the best pitch you ever got?
Polar Bear events usually included strategically posed photos of swimmers preparing for their icy plunge sans clothes. Creative, every year!
What's the worst pitch you ever got?
Anything that had a whiff of bribery was off the table immediately. You need complete transparency and trust on both sides of the table.
What's your favorite drink?
Can you really be called a journalist if you don't drink coffee? Even better, mooch coffee from others.
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
To keep my writing fresh, I push my comfort zone. I did Shakespeare improv, hung out a helicopter, and covered a DA's headline case.
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
I love Vogue -- the discipline of it, the scope of it, the cadence of each issue. Who doesn't appreciate a magazine that weighs ten pounds?
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
When you cover technology and manufacturing, you learn about equipment, creativity, workflow, and efficiency. It's fascinating!
