I grew up in the rural green belt of London, England where I fell in love with literature and literary history. During my undergraduate degree at the University of Kent in Canterbury, and namely an exchange year abroad at UCLA, that love for literature transitioned into a passion for journalism and California sunshine. I moved to Los Angeles in 2007 to pursue an MA degree in journalism at USC and continue a freelance career in multimedia storytelling. And I have never looked back.
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My experience includes local, national and international reporting for news outlets such as the LA Weekly, Southern California Public Radio and the New Zealand Herald Tribune. My fascination with hyper-local journalism spawned a thesis about the future of the industry (titled, Can Grassroots Journalism Help Underserved Communities?) and, in 2008, led me to help found a hyper-local website covering South Los Angeles. I was managing editor until early 2011, when Patch became my next adventure.
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Now I live in Concord with my husband, reading, writing, exploring the Bay Area and continuing to drink my tea with milk.
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Beliefs:
1. Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle. - Plato.
2. Never discuss religion or politics at the dinner table.
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Politics: I am a registered Democrat with an open mind to all opinions and factual arguments. I believe that the mind should be a thoroughfare for all thoughts and not a select party.
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Religion: Non-denominational Christian, with an almost pantheistic love for the outdoors and a strong appreciation for being still (Psalm 46:10.)
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Local Hot-Button Issues: Social justice issues that affect quality of life or access to opportunities, including education, immigration, health care and social welfare.
From storytime, chess and lego to conversational English classes — the library offers free activities every day. What's your favorite event on the library calendar?
Eggplant is in season through September and available at your local farmers' market. Here's the farmers' market schedule for Concord and nearby.
Here's what's happening this week in Pleasant Hill, from Aug. 5 to Aug. 11, 2013, including National Night Out and more.
Here's what's happening this week in Concord, from Aug. 5 to Aug. 11, 2013, including National Night Out and more.
Looking for things to do in Concord this weekend? See what's happening around town Aug. 2 to 4.
Looking for things to do in Pleasant Hill this weekend? See what's happening around town Aug. 2 to 4.
The show starts at 6 p.m., Aug. 4, as part of the "Sunset By The Lake" series on the lawn by Pleasant Hill City Hall.
This magnificent moment was captured by Ron Graydon. Share your Concord photos on Patch for "Pic of the Day."
Here are the showtimes for the movies playing at the Solano West Wind drive-in movie theater in Concord, Friday, Aug. 2 to Sunday, Aug. 4, 2013.
"Blue Jasmine" is the story of a New York City woman who goes from riches to rags and heads to San Francisco for a new life.
The Clayton police activity report from July 26 to Aug. 1 includes a traffic accident, five arrests, three burglaries and two incidents of petty theft.
"Ghostbusters" from 1984 plays as part of the Cinemark Classic Series at Century 16 theater in downtown Pleasant Hill.
Concord Patch shows the blocks where residential, commercial and vehicle burglaries occurred in the city. Burglary data is provided by the Concord Police Department.
Here's where drama students at Diablo Valley College in the 1950s and '60s would have spent their days practicing. Do you remember these old buildings?
Plums are in season until September and available at your local farmers' market. Here's the farmers' market schedule for Concord and nearby.
Plums are in season until September and available at your local farmers' market. Here's the farmers' market schedule for Pleasant Hill and nearby.
A teacher at Woodside Elementary School fondled an 11-year-old boy during class, according to a claim against the district.
