I began my storytelling career with Hmong funerals in the Twin Cities, unique and demanding rituals that traditional Hmong have carried over from Laos and Cambodia. I then expanded to covering tribal relations and Native American activism in South Dakota, as well as economic development and agricultural issues. Wisconsin allowed me to report on the phenomenally high rate of suicides on the Menominee Indian reservation, as well as protests against Governor Scott Walker after he and the legislature rolled back collective bargaining. Then in Cleveland, I covered community policing issues, race relations, economic development and revitalization in this Rust Belt city. I also helped share the voices of the working poor for a national Murrow Award-winning series, humanizing a demographic that has grown since the last major recession. I remain passionate about good storytelling, and love working with all mediums to engage audiences. While the tools may constantly change, the essentials of crafting an engaging story are timeless. I'm a quick and adaptable creative thinker, know what appeals to audiences, and always aim for the heart as well as the mind. Since 1996, I've dabbled in radio reporting and have left footprints at Minnesota Public Radio, National Public Radio, KFAI-Minneapolis, South Dakota Public Radio, Wisconsin Public Radio, and more recently, KLCC in Eugene, Oregon. I've also filed stories with NPR's flagship programs, as well as with APM's Marketplace and the BBC.More recently I've turned to teaching journalism at the University of Oregon's School of Journalism and Communication, guiding tomorrow's reporters in coverage, story development, and audio. Specialties: News reporting, interviewing, field and studio recording, mentoring, photography, creative writing, editing, social media, and cooking.