Experienced reporter and writer. Big picture thinker. Detailed storyteller.
Think of me as a Swiss Army knife.
I'm an award-winning multimedia journalist based in Chicago with two decades of experience. I'm known for breaking news, writing travel stories, in-depth features and business profiles, but throw any subject at me and I'll make sure it's accurate, interesting and relevant.
I've written for more than 40 media outlets including The Washington Post, The New York Times, TIME, U.S. News & World Report, USA Today, Reuters, The Atlantic, AFAR, Fortune.com, Civil Eats, Travel + Leisure, Chicago magazine, Fortune, The Saturday Evening Post, Chicago Tribune, Crain's Chicago Business, Shondaland and American Way.
For assignments, I've gone dog sledding in Alaska, eaten crickets in Cambodia, followed the coffee trail in Italy, investigated the deaths of two Race to Mackinac sailors, written about identity theft and small business entrepreneurs, interviewed the likes of Maya Angelou, Justin Bieber and Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel as well as Syrian refugees. I’ve covered breaking news events for The Washington Post and written about investing and finance for U.S. News & World Report. I also spent two years covering the trial of former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich for TIME/Time.com. My coverage earned a Peter Lisagor Award for Best Breaking News.
I'm a former Dallas Morning News and St. Petersburg Times staff writer. When I also served as managing editor of two national monthly B2B magazines, Restaurant Business and FoodService Director, I project managed a complete magazine redesign and relaunch, ghostwrote for the publisher and three subject matter experts, launched a 50-person Chefs' Council and implemented an editorial internship program—all in less than six months.
I've also served as president and a board member of the Chicago Headline Club, the largest Society of Professional Journalists chapter in the United States, launched SPJ's freelance committee on a national level and taught magazine reporting and writing as an adjunct professor at DePaul University. Additionally, I've received several fellowships including Dart Center of Gun Violence, Freelance Investigative Reporters and Editors, Northwestern University's Social Justice News Nexus fellowship and 2017 Reynolds Week Fellow with the Donald W. Reynolds Center for Business Journalism.
Although I started out as sports reporter, I love the competitive nature of every business.
What else should you know?
I'm also a killer ravioli maker, have painted a few murals and sat "five seat" on Indiana University's inaugural Division I NCAA rowing team.
