Skills
Master of some, apprentice in many
Longest-running skills: Planning, research, writing, editing and management
Emerging: Odd jobs and interesting gigs, especially substitute teaching and Airbnb hosting
Also in the mix: Media relations, media analysis
Topics and interests
The familiar and imagined
Experienced in emergency management (including engineering and structural topics related to mitigation), health care (mainly the non-clinical side), travel, government and general interest.
Interested in many other areas, including technical fields.
Education
Three campuses, one degree
Bachelor’s degree in Journalism, University of Colorado, Boulder
Before that: First two years of college were at University of Louisiana Lafayette
After the degree: About 40 hours in graduate school in regional planning and urban design at the University of Colorado Denver
Experience
Two main areas, range of other activities
FEMA (1992-2014) and freelance journalism (practically forever), both of which are episodic, not continuous
Also: urban planning, teaching at the college level substituting in high school classrooms, and hosting through Airbnb
Favorite recent reads
Heavy on nonfiction
On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King
You Can’t Make This Stuff Up by Lee Gutkind
Designing Your Life: How to Build a Well-Lived, Joyful Life by Bill Burnett & Dave Evans
Beauty, Neuroscience & Architecture: Timeless Patterns & Their Impact on Our Well-Being by Donald H. Ruggles, AIA
Daily practice
Walking alone, in good company
Not so much for meetings on foot (like Steve Jobs) or reading while strolling (like Stephen King) but for mental and physical benefits, usually about one to three miles a day
Bonus
A solid background in emergency management.
