Local editor, Patch.com, California; April 2010-present.
Freelancer, 2002-present.
Contributor to The New York Times, Salon.com, NPR, California Magazine, American RadioWorks, Oakland Local, East Bay Express, Metro Silicon Valley, Greater Good magazine, Moment magazine, Shareable.net. Emphasis on narrative and multimedia storytelling, with a focus on the environment, food culture and family violence. Available for writing, documentary photography, sound and video recording, blogging and other social networking needs.
Crime & Safety Reporter, The Modesto Bee, Modesto, CA; November 2006-March 2009.
Covered breaking news and pitched enterprise stories, including the pitfalls of eyewitness identification, an in-depth series on burglary and an extensive online project mapping homicides. Selected to join Innovations Committee to plan vision for newsroom. Trained staff on multimedia skills, including audio and video recording.
General Assignment Intern, The Patriot Ledger, Quincy, MA; May 2006-August 2006.
Covered breaking news and pitched enterprise stories. Wrote on politics, education, local history, social services and Quincy’s burgeoning Chinese population.
Metro Intern, Fort Wayne News-Sentinel, Fort Wayne, IN; June 2005-August 2005.
Covered breaking news, economic concerns, cultural events. Wrote 37 articles, first-person columns and weekly profiles on students and religions. Attended regional training workshops.
Editorial Intern/Fellow, Mother Jones, San Francisco, CA; October 2003-May 2004.
Researched and fact checked feature stories for this national publication, which won the 2008 National Magazine Award for General Excellence. Promoted to paid fellowship.
Intern/Freelancer, Willamette Week, Portland, OR; January 2003-August 2004.
Wrote on mental health, ADA compliance, breaking news. Contributed to packages on the Iraq war and other special sections for this Pulitzer Prize-winning alternative weekly.
Intern/Photographer, Portland Alliance, Portland, OR; June 2002-September 2003. Wrote stories on issues such as domestic violence, health concerns at a subsidized housing complex, the Patriot Act.
University of California-Berkeley, Graduate School of Journalism. M.J., May 2006.
Reed College, Portland, Oregon. B.A. in Chinese, January 2003.
“Writing about Sexual Violence,” training scholarship, The Poynter Institute and NSVRC, 2008.
Performance Award, The Modesto Bee, March 2008. Outstanding Performance Award, The Modesto Bee, 2007.
George Polk Award co-recipient, 2006. Lyhne/Bullock Scholarship, 2005-2006. ORIAS Scholarship, 2005.
UC-Berkeley School of Journalism Fellowship, 2004-2005. Reed College Commendation for Academic Excellence, 1999-2000.
Documentary photography. Skilled in Photoshop. Basic Dreamweaver, Flash, Pro Tools, Audacity. Microsoft Excel; Nexis. Travel: Bangladesh, Taiwan, Thailand, Israel, Senegal, the Gambia, China. Two summers immersed in Mandarin Chinese. Language skills: Proficiency in French; basic Spanish, Chinese.
Relief worker and crisis line volunteer, Haven Women’s Center, 2008. Liberian family mentor, International Rescue Committee, 2004-2008. Reading mentor, S.M.A.R.T. program, 2002-2003. Delivered food to AIDS patients, Food and Friends, 1998-1999. Planned Parenthood intern, Virginia, 1995-1997.