I developed a reverence for news while quite young, thanks to strict parents. My TV viewing was largely limited to network news, a mainstay — and major perk of staying — at my grandparents’ apartment. I realized reporting could introduce me to people and places I’d never otherwise encounter.
After college, I took a job in a field I had long put on a pedestal. I worked for local outlets near and in New York City, covering everything from the lax enforcement of lead paint laws to the legacy of a mansion built for broke aristocrats. I savored having a socially-sanctioned reason to approach strangers, the challenge of sorting through various narratives and the adrenaline of a deadline.
I strive to highlight consumer rights and ways researchers think the system could be improved.
When the opportunity arose, I welcomed the chance to join one of the last local newsrooms with real muscle. Newsday has smart people, a wealth of institutional knowledge and the will to wrestle with the industry’s challenges through experimentation and innovation.
I initially covered commercial real estate. During the throes of the pandemic, I wrote about tenants maxing out credit cards, borrowing from family and friends and scrimping to pay as much of their rent as possible. I also reported on how unpaid rent hit landlords – and what resources were available for both parties. My work uncovered several hurdles with federal rent relief distribution, including how the Town of Hempstead undercounted its aid by $4.7 million.
As the urgency faded, I highlighted how consumers were slow to return to happy hours, and what venues were doing to try to get them back. I explored how one town was toying with an attempt to transform empty office parks into apartments, and the many pitfalls of retrofit projects.
I now cover the business side of health care. A lot of what I delve into can feel esoteric: health insurance, pricing, provider consolidation. I am committed to explaining how the market is changing in a clear, colloquial way – and what it means for Long Islanders. My biggest priority is empowering people. I strive to highlight consumer rights and ways researchers think the system could be improved.
