As a professor of practice at the University of Oregon’s School of Journalism and Communication, I work at the intersection of journalism and education. I manage students who produce deadline news coverage for professional publications. I design curriculum that centers the role of journalism in a strong democracy. I write. I teach. Always, I listen.

Mostly, I build.

I build programs – a news bureau that covers international-caliber track and field competitions at Hayward Field, which is on our campus, and a j-school specific writing center that has become one of the foundations of our new curriculum. 

I build lessons and curriculum that focus on the craft of writing; on trauma-informed, community-centered journalism; on the importance of local news; and on the truth that more diverse and inclusive journalism is more accurate journalism.

Most important, I build student confidence. Again, I listen. I use story conferences, targeted feedback, student drop-in hours, reading and listening recommendations, and research-driven practices to guide students on a path to steady improvement and rewarding careers. 

As a writer, I reported from Kenya, Cuba, 10 Final Fours (women’s and men’s) and four Olympic Games. As an editor, I organized coverage of events from Friday night high school football to the Olympics. I spent 22 years in the newsroom, focusing on sports, women’s issues and higher education.

As an educator, I was named one of the top 20 innovators in journalism education by Media Shift in 2018. At the University of Oregon, I’m a member of the Provost’s Teaching Academy and the Phi Beta Kappa faculty review committee. And in 2020, I received the All-Campus Advising Association’s Outstanding Faculty Advisor award.