I've spent the bulk of my career in Chicago, with extended stints in South Florida and East Africa. Much of that time I've focused on consumer issues, and as an offshoot of that, The Fixer.
I believe journalism can be a force for good; my guiding forces are curiosity, ethical behavior and empathy for underdogs. And I love figuring out new ways to tell a story.
Career Highlights (click here for full resume)
ABC News
Reporter/Producer for the network investigative unit, contributing to all ABC News platforms including "Good Morning America," "Nightline," "20/20," "World News," ABC News Radio, ABCNews.com and NewsOne.
Price-gouging in air ambulance industry (Emmy-nominated)
Mystery fires in parked BMW automobiles
Flaws in federal consumer product recalls system
Fraudulent marketing of home alarm systems
Mortgage rescue scams
ABC News Fixer national consumer-help column on "Good Morning America," ABC News Radio, ABCNews.com and NewsOne.
Produced more than 30 television segments for Weekend GMA on such topics as mobile phone rip-offs, airline travel issues, home repair fraud, online scams and automobile-related issues.
Numerous live and taped two-ways with affiliate stations nationwide
Online library of consumer tips and advice
Surpassed $2 million recovered for consumers
Chicago Sun-Times
Columnist, Reporter and Editor for then-Top 10 metro U.S. newspaper.
Created and wrote "The Fixer," a popular consumer-help column that recovered $1.4 million for readers and won a Chicago Headline Club Peter Lisagor Award
Produced investigative stories on charity fraud, domestic violence, parking abuse, unsafe products and vehicles and numerous other topics
Received Chicago Journalists Association's Sarah Brown Boyden Award, Chicago Headline Club's Peter Lisagor Award and two first place awards from the Illinois AP Editors Association
Managed staff of reporters as Weekend City Editor, directing coverage, coordinating with digital, wire and photo staffs, creating news budgets and editing stories
(Please look here for the rest of my work history, including work at the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, Daily Herald, Voice of America and more)
Education
Northwestern University, Medill School of Journalism
Master of Science, magazine journalism
Bachelor of Science, journalism with concentrations in political science, history and sociology
University of Sussex, U.K.
One-year program with focus on development theory
and the rest...
I live on the North Side of Chicago. My husband, who is not a journalist, is my favorite test subject for story ideas. We have two awesome daughters and a weird rescue poodle. When we're not fixing up our aging bungalow, we like to play in the park or hang out with friends. If I could wave a wand, I'd restore Chicago's historic Uptown Theatre, and if I could travel anywhere, I'd go here.