I specialize in stories about incredible people. I have interviewed Holocaust survivors and Olympic athletes, Maasai warriors and Silicon Valley inventors, 9-11 survivors and Hollywood stars; war victims, teenage philanthropists, monks and murderers. Stories have taken me to Tanzania, Jordan, Nepal, Mexico, South Korea, Canada and the 2004 Summer Olympics in Greece. My work has led to the shutdown of dozens of San Francisco massage parlors that were involved in overseas sex trafficking; the firing of the superintendent of an impoverished school district who bought himself flights, hotel rooms and whiskey with the school credit card; and new laws in Nepal outlawing the selling of daughters as indentured servants. Here is a sampling from the San Francisco Chronicle, the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting and the Stanford Social Innovation Review magazine:
NPR interview about Operation Lion Heart
AWARDS
2014
Writer-In-Residence, Hedgebrook fellowship program, Whidbey Island, WA.
2011
International Museum of Women juried selection “Kamlari Shopgirl,” included in its global media exhibit. Thirty of 600 artists chosen
2010
American Association of University Women, Career Development Grant to puruse professional studies that benefit women
2010
Finalist, Harry Chapin Media Award for coverage of hunger and poverty-related issues
2009
Society of Professional Journalists Northern California, Excellence in Journalism Award, Feature Writing
2008
Associated Press, First place Feature Writing Award, California & Nevada Newswriting & Photo Contest
2007
Society of Professional Journalists Explanatory Journalism Award
2005
PEN USA Literary Award for Journalism
2005
Society of Professional Journalists feature writing award
2005
American Association of Sunday and Feature Editors narrative journalism award
2005 & 1999
California Newspaper Publishers Association, best feature, best public service awards
2005 & 2001
Finalist for the Livingston Award, the nation’s top journalism prize for reporters under 35
2005
Hearst Eagle Award for Professional Excellence, awarded to 12 of the Hearst Corporation’s 6,000 employees nationwide
2004
Finalist, Dart Award for Excellence in Coverage of Trauma
2002
Casey Medal for Meritorious Journalism
Meredith May 