Family: I'm engaged! Other than my fiancée, who works for a nonprofit in Ames, my family are all out of state, and my only "children" are of the four-legged furry variety.
Email: [email protected]
Why journalism? I originally thought I'd be a teacher, but reporting is where I've found my niche. I like to joke that I enjoy writing and knowing things, and this is the perfect career for that. My core belief about this job is that people need good information to make informed decisions, and the best emails I get from readers are the ones thanking me for explaining some complicated problem in a way they understand.
I like covering courts because: They're important -- dealing with questions of literal life, death and liberty -- and because there's so much variety. Any kind of dispute you could imagine, sooner or later, can wind up in front of a judge. And there's nothing quite like the rush of getting a 90-page court order two hours before deadline and jumping in to sift out what matters for readers.
Some of the major stories I've covered recently: I wrote about Iowa's lengthy backlog for treatment to restore criminal defendants to mental competency and a new program that hopes to ease some of that pressure. And I covered the historic Iowa Supreme Court decision dramatically reducing access to abortion in Iowa. I also examined the court's evolving coalitions and willingness to reverse its past precedents.
Some stories I'm working on next: The new Iowa Supreme Court term recently began, and already we're seeing the court weighing in on hot-button issues such as eminent domain and restoring people's gun rights.
When I'm not working, I like to: Mostly be a homebody, staying in to read and play games. But I also like to sing -- I'm in the Des Moines Choral Society, which just had its annual Christmas concert on Dec. 7 -- and I love getting out to try new restaurants. And right now, I'm in the midst of planning a wedding ... or perhaps more accurately, tagging along and making approving noises as my fiancée plans a wedding.
My favorite Iowa haunt: Iowa has earned its reputation for being mostly flat and covered with corn, but northeast Iowa, where I went to college, is the notable exception. I maintain the Driftless Region is still the prettiest part of the state by far.
Fun fact about me: I was raised Baptist, switched to Methodist, went to a Lutheran college and taught (briefly) at a Catholic school. I like to tell people I'm very ecumenical.