What was your first job as a journalist?
Outside of my school paper, I did an internship with The New York Post. First one out of college was the long-form project Stry.us
Have you ever used a typewriter?
Yes
How is social media changing news?
It's allowing us to create engaging news environments where informing readers is a conversation, not dictation.
What does it mean to be a journalist?
Relaying information about the world so that others might better understand it.
What's the funniest news-related #hashtag you've seen?
I know there have been some good ones, but I just remember the one my paper started in college, .
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
Twitter and Storify are huge for me. Scrivener is my favorite writing program. I have written some data-heavy stories, so Excel, too.
What's your favorite social network?
Twitter
Why did you become a journalist?
Because I never feel like I'm going to "work." Writing and helping people understand the world are my passions.
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
Yes, I came in writing sports but decided I wanted to do more, and became the editor-in-chief.
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
On Dec. 8, 2011, I was editor of the Collegiate Times at Virginia Tech. I helped my staff inform the world as another shooting struck campus.
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
Engage with everyone.
