What was your first job as a journalist?
Chicago Flame (college newspaper). But out of college it would be the Tinley Park Progress Newspaper.
Have you ever used a typewriter?
Yes!
How is social media changing news?
It's given rise to citizen journalism.
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
Hildy from the movie "His Girl Friday." Cliché answer, but honestly there are so many, I can't really choose.
What does it mean to be a journalist?
A storytelling in the field.
What's the funniest news-related #hashtag you've seen?
I haven't come across a news-related hashtag that was funny to me.
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
E-mail
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
Twitter, Apple News, Facebook, Google
What's your favorite social network?
Twitter
Who do you wish followed you?
Christiane Amanpour
Why did you become a journalist?
Because I love helping others find the truth, hope, and to open their minds and be able to understand others more easily.
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
I wrote all 4 years and in my senior year was the editor of the school newspaper: The Pioneer (Maine East High School in Park Ridge, IL)
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
So far, the story on Anthony Bourdain.
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Don't sell yourself short, and protect your content (copyright is a tricky thing in journalism).
When's the best time to pitch you?
Afternoon
What's your favorite drink?
Something sweet and a little strong.
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
In nature with my daughter and dog.
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
The New Yorker
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
That it's easy, fluff, and not hard hitting.
