About Me

I have been writing for as long as I can remember, from the short story I crafted at age 9 about a girl who talks to horses, to the more recent feature stories I write about my town for Press Play Salem magazine. In between, I worked for nearly eight years as a newspaper journalist, followed by a decade at a liberal arts university doing everything from media relations to newsletter editing to magazine feature writing to marketing message development. Over the past six years, I've developed a deep passion for bringing light to social justice issues, incarceration, and the juvenile justice system through my work as a government agency communicator. As if I'm not busy enough, I also do a variety of freelance writing and editing projects.

I've got innate curiosity and unending creativity — traits I hope to pass on to my two sons. Things I love: books, rock concerts, travel, movies and cooking (but not doing dishes). Things I get to experience less often since having kids: books, rock concerts, travel, movies and cooking (although I do plenty of dishes).

I bring all of this — plus meticulous organization and a healthy respect for deadlines — to every project.

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Experience

• 20 years of writing features for magazines
• Six years working in Oregon state government communications
• A decade producing marketing communications for a liberal arts university
• Three years editing, writing for and managing an online magazine about Salem, Oregon
• Eight years writing articles for daily newspapers
• Nearly four years writing book reviews for an online literary magazine
• One year creating podcasts for a community radio station

Education

Master of Fine Arts, Creative Writing - Nonfiction, Pacific University (Forest Grove, OR)

Bachelor of Arts, Print Journalism, Texas State University (San Marcos, TX)