What was your first job as a journalist?
My first assignment was to write about consumer learning products online for Mass High Tech
Have you ever used a typewriter?
Yes, in a day long gone by, but not for reporting.
How is social media changing news?
Quick turn arounds, shorter reads
What does it mean to be a journalist?
Be prepared for the reporting opportunity. Research all story details/possibilities and see where the story takes you. Keep an open mind.
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
by email
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
Google, DevonThink, MS Word, Adobe Photoshop, Sumnotes.net, termextract.fivefilters.org, any text editor
What's your favorite social network?
Twitter
Who do you wish followed you?
Steven Johnson, Malcolm Gladwell, Pierre Lévy
Why did you become a journalist?
I enjoy writing and exploring the comings and goings of youth technology
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
I was a photographer for high school publications
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
An investigative piece I wrote about the sugar industry and children's cereals called "Kids, Cartoons, and Sugary Cereal Ads"
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Be thoughtful about your questions to share with someone you're interviewing. Be prepared with more questions than you need.
When's the best time to pitch you?
While I'm awake
What's the best pitch you ever got?
An investigation piece on startups that focused exclusively on making technology products for kids.
What's your favorite drink?
A New England Style Hazy IPA
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
Behind a camera or using my smartphone
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
Children's Technology Review
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
I have to be at an event to accurately report on it
