I grew up in the rural green belt of London, England where I fell in love with literature and literary history. During my undergraduate degree at the University of Kent in Canterbury, and namely an exchange year abroad at UCLA, that love for literature transitioned into a passion for journalism and California sunshine. I moved to Los Angeles in 2007 to pursue an MA degree in journalism at USC and continue a freelance career in multimedia storytelling. And I have never looked back.
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My experience includes local, national and international reporting for news outlets such as the LA Weekly, Southern California Public Radio and the New Zealand Herald Tribune. My fascination with hyper-local journalism spawned a thesis about the future of the industry (titled, Can Grassroots Journalism Help Underserved Communities?) and, in 2008, led me to help found a hyper-local website covering South Los Angeles. I was managing editor until early 2011, when Patch became my next adventure.
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Now I live in Concord with my husband, reading, writing, exploring the Bay Area and continuing to drink my tea with milk.
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Beliefs:
1. Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle. - Plato.
2. Never discuss religion or politics at the dinner table.
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Politics: I am a registered Democrat with an open mind to all opinions and factual arguments. I believe that the mind should be a thoroughfare for all thoughts and not a select party.
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Religion: Non-denominational Christian, with an almost pantheistic love for the outdoors and a strong appreciation for being still (Psalm 46:10.)
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Local Hot-Button Issues: Social justice issues that affect quality of life or access to opportunities, including education, immigration, health care and social welfare.
A 64-year-old Antioch man crashed his car Sunday night into the Hercules marshlands. Police are awaiting blood test results to determine if alcohol was a factor.
Is there such a thing as a safe and healthy way to sweeten things up?
Shift report from the Hercules Police Department's watch commander for Sunday, June 12.
From Hercules to Pinole to Richmond, find the lowest price at the pump.
Last week's special election meant the recall of two incumbents. But one winner's seat remains in doubt due to a controversy over self-misrepresentation.
Is there such a thing as a safe and healthy way to sweeten things up?
Shift report from the Hercules Police Department's watch commander for Saturday, June 11.
The top stories, events, announcements and places on Hercules Patch as of Sunday, June 12, are compiled here.
Council members and staff considered sewer and municipal services tax inclines as well as the administration budget in the first of two public hearings.
Live coverage of the June 6 city council meeting started at 7:40 p.m. Patch will also have individual, detailed stories on the night's major items.
Coffee makes a workaholic nation even more neurotic. Is it time to bring back tea?
Coffee makes a workaholic nation even more neurotic. Is it time to bring back tea?
An East Bay tea drinker says coffee makes our frenetic lives even more neurotic. It started with those male dens of insensible chatter, the 17th-century English coffeehouse, she says.
Coffee makes a workaholic nation even more neurotic. Is it time to bring back tea?
The success of online video streaming services spells trouble for cable and satellite.
The success of online video streaming services Netflix and Hulu — coupled with the high cost of cable and satellite — spells trouble for pay television.
The success of online video streaming services Netflix and Hulu — coupled with the high cost of cable and satellite — spells trouble for pay television.
The success of online video streaming services Netflix and Hulu — coupled with the high cost of cable and satellite — spells trouble for pay television.
The success of online video streaming services Netflix and Hulu — coupled with the high cost of cable and satellite — spells trouble for pay television.
The success of online video streaming services spells trouble for cable and satellite.