1. Briefly share the path to your current career — why journalism?
It all started in the 7th grade! I joined the school newspaper in junior high and never looked back. I was initially drawn to journalism simply because I enjoy writing. But I fell in love with it, in part because it is a public service. People need information and journalists who hold the powerful accountable. We inform and educate, and sometimes even entertain.
2. What is your favorite thing about your job?
I recently had family visiting town from the Midwest, and my 12-year old niece was watching a newscast. She said, “What you’re doing looks easy, but I think it’s probably really hard.” I appreciated that insight! I want it to seem easy, because my goal is to present the news to people in a way that feels like we’re having a conversation and that we recognize together when something is sad, outrageous, funny, unfair. When it all works, it’s so satisfying! People who watch the news regularly are looking to be informed about their community. Helping them do that is my favorite thing.
3. Tell us about a moment in your career you are particularly proud of.
To answer this question, I’ve been cycling through memories of some big breaking news stories, where I was on the set for hours helping keep people up-to-date as information unfolded. I’m also thinking about some incredible stories I was lucky enough to tell. But honestly, I think I’m most proud to just still be doing what I do. My 30-year anniversary at KOMO is coming up. If my junior high self knew I’d be an evening anchor in Seattle, WA, I think I would have been pretty excited about the future.
4. What do you look for in a story?
The human element. We go to city hall and police departments and courtrooms, and we go to hospitals and research labs, and so on. But whose life could change because of that policy coming out of city hall or that arrest or the results from that research? That’s the story.
5. What’s the best way for someone to get your attention?
I probably prefer email over a social media message or a phone call. But I admit, it’s tough. We get a lot of emails, and I do miss them sometimes. But if you have a compelling story, write it up and send it to me. And if I don’t reply, follow up with another email or a phone call to our assignment desk. They always answer the phone.
6. What role, if any, does AI play in your work as a journalist?
That’s a good question and one I’m still answering. Right now, I’m not using AI. It is slowly being integrated into our toolbox. One example – when I write a story to be voiced for TV, I also need to write a version for our website. I could feed my TV script into AI and have it spit out a version that conforms to web or newspaper style. But I’ve tried that and didn’t like the results. So right now, I’m sitting out on AI. I know it has uses – perhaps to comb through a big document dump or for research. But at this point, I haven’t needed it or turned to it.
7. What skills have you found most useful in your career?
The ability to talk to people and help them feel comfortable.
8. What is something unexpected that you have learned during your career?
That I can flub up on live TV and the world keeps turning. Sometimes mistakes feel so paramount, and I have really suffered over moments or decisions that didn’t go well. But we learn and move on, and get better.
Fill in the blank:
If I am not working, I am… all over the place! I love to read and be quiet at home, but I also like the stress relieving social aspect of joining a class at a gym. I’ll tag along with my husband while he’s fishing, or we’ll go for a hike. My kids both live out of state now, so I’m also traveling to see them as often as I can manage.
If I could interview anyone, it would be… Jody Allen (that wouldn’t always be my answer, but today, yes. Jody Allen please!)
Selflessness inspires me.
My favorite thing about Seattle is… the beauty. Being nestled between Puget Sound and the Cascades can’t be beat!