I never imagined I would become a journalist, because I never thought I’d settle on one career.
In high school, I was just as likely to be found with my head bent over a novel as a microscope. Everything interested me, from Ulysses to the calculus proofs I once spent 6 hours poring over in a Panera. What I did have was the desire to understand everything around me — a desire that didn’t jive with the idea of doing one thing for the rest of my life.
Long Islanders deserve to know what’s going on in their community; how their tax dollars are spent.
But when you’re 17 and asked what you plan to do for the next five decades, you need an answer. So, I arrived at college with the vague idea of studying psychology and the far more concrete fear of spending my life in the same armchair. I didn’t get far into my psych studies. Instead, just a week into school, I found a flyer on the ground for my college student newspaper. And once I started reporting, I couldn’t stop.
Journalism allowed me to learn about everything, from obscure student artists to the musicians thriving in my hometown, to actors finding ways to make movies during the pandemic. After graduation, I began working at Commercial Observer — covering New York City commercial real estate — and soon found that my curiosity about the companies and people that owned much of Manhattan was shared by thousands of New Yorkers.
At Brick Underground, I wrote articles that explained how New Yorkers could find an apartment, negotiate a rent increase, and deal with a negligent landlord. I investigated online scams, landlords who lied about bed bugs, and discrimination against renters who used housing vouchers to pay part of their rent. It was there that I discovered my passion for journalism that directly improves readers’ lives.
I joined Newsday in 2025 to do just that for Long Islanders. As Newsday’s commercial real estate and retail reporter, that mission drives all of my stories, whether I’m writing about a new business opening or a billion-dollar development.
Long Islanders deserve to know what’s going on in their community; how their tax dollars are spent, when and why companies lay off workers, and what small businesses are making their mark on the Island. But not everyone has the desire — or the hours — to dive into all of the stories that surround us. That’s where I come in, because reporting is exactly what I want to do for the next 50-some years.
