Q: How long have you worked at Rice?
A: I started in July 2024.
Q: What’s your favorite part about working for the university?
A: The students, hands down. They’re smart, curious, full of ideas, and they’re not afraid to chase those ideas wherever they may lead.
Q: What do you want people to know about living in Houston?
A: You’ll never run out of things to eat, see or do. It’s one of the most diverse cities in the country, and every neighborhood has its own personality.
Q: What do you do in your downtime?
A: I write fiction, work on audio news projects, play the occasional video game and hang out with my family.
Q: What’s your favorite spot on campus to show someone?
A: Is it wrong to say the spaces in the RMC where my media students hang out? The Thresher newsroom buzzes with deadline energy. The Campanile yearbook staff has this creative, collaborative vibe as they piece together a year’s worth of memories. And the KTRU station — with its on-air booth and impressive collection of CDs and vinyl records — feels like it has music and ideas flowing in every direction.
Q: What’s the one thing that makes Rice special to you?
A: Students here don’t just talk about making a difference. They do it every day.
Q: What do you enjoy most about your job?
A: Helping students find their voice and the confidence to use it.
Q: What are your most memorable accomplishments?
A: Honestly, getting to make and share my own creative work while helping students make and share theirs. There’s something about taking an idea and turning it into something people can read, watch or hear that can’t be equaled.
Q: What advice would you give to new employees?
A: Say yes to coffee invites. You’ll learn more about Rice from casual conversations than any handbook.
Q: Would you share a bit about your background and career journey?
A: I started as a student reporter and never left the newsroom life, first as a professional reporter and then as a college media adviser. I’ve spent 20-plus years teaching and advising college media with stops at Howard University and the University of Illinois before Rice. I’m an education addict with degrees in journalism, French, fiction writing and English. I love stories in all their forms.
Q: What’s one piece of advice you would give to your younger self?
A: Stop waiting for the “perfect time” to start. It doesn’t exist. Take chances.
Q: Describe Rice in four words or less.
A: Curious, caring, evolving, bold.
Q: What else have we not talked about yet that merits discussion?
A: The value of student-led organizations simply cannot be overstated. Whether it’s in a functioning newsroom or a radio station — or a student-run coffeehouse or peer-led education and advocacy programs — this is where students discover that what happens outside the classroom can shape them just as much as what happens inside. This co-curricular work helps them build leadership skills and confidence they’ll carry for life.