What was your first job as a journalist?
Cub reporter at the Princeton Packet in Princeton, N.J.
Have you ever used a typewriter?
Yes!
How is social media changing news?
Users can interact with journalists, for good reasons or bad, and reinforces consumers desire for confirmation rather than information.
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
Milo Bloom.
What's the funniest news-related #hashtag you've seen?
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
Email email email email email email email.
What's your favorite social network?
Depends on who I want to interact with! Twitter for work ().
Who do you wish followed you?
Everyone has an interesting story to tell, so followers who are not trolls are welcome.
Why did you become a journalist?
To introduce people to new ideas, and to help explain and understand what's going on in the world.
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
Everything! Started as a copy editor, wrote news and features, was editor-in-chief my senior year.
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
Interviewing First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden about their efforts to help military families.
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Try everything, and hone your skills in as many types of journalism as you can -- long form, short form, audio, video, data viz...
When's the best time to pitch you?
Via email (LAlphonse@usnews.com) any time, though I only respond to ones that are of interest.
What's the best pitch you ever got?
The best pitches I've gotten have turned into stories!
What's the worst pitch you ever got?
What's your favorite drink?
Coffee during the day, bourbon at night.
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
Cooking. Because cooking is cheaper than therapy.
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
Everything I can get my eyes on.
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
That the media has an agenda.
