Journalism Portfolio

I’m a reporter, writer and photographer specializing in business, urbanism, climate change and the LGBTQ+ community. I tell a range of stories from news and features to profiles and long-form pieces. Check out and link to some of my published work below.

There Is Enough Food, Just Not Enough Food Access

YES! Magazine / Community fridge networks across the country are an important start—and symbol—in the work to make sure everyone has enough to eat.

A US city received $500,000 to remove lead pipes – and still hasn’t spent it

The Guardian / Troy, New York, has yet to remove a single lead pipe five years after getting the money. What went wrong?

The Outsiders

DigBoston / Kicked out of home and misunderstood by social service providers, homeless LGBTQ youth often have nowhere to turn.

The US city that has raised $100m to climate-proof its buildings

The Guardian / Ithaca has turned to private investors to help it decarbonize thousands of residential and commercial buildings.

How Vulnerability Creates Change

YES! Magazine / Sharing a deeply personal story with the world helped me realize that vulnerability is a powerful tool to create change and inspire others to follow along.

A Small City Comeback, Interrupted

Bloomberg CityLab / As the pandemic takes a toll on local businesses, Troy, New York, is trying to hold on to its hard-won economic gains — and plan for a more equitable future.

Trees store carbon, but a wind farm produces power. Which is greener?

The Christian Science Monitor / Put up a wind farm or preserve the forest? New York has ambitious climate goals, but local opponents have their own ideas.

The Café That’s Upending Capitalism

YES! Magazine / Cafe Euphoria isn’t just another co-op. Its trans and gender-nonconforming owners are pursuing a vision of radical equality.

I Always Wanted to Go Car-Free. Here’s How I Finally Did It.

Bicycling Magazine / When my job became remote in March, I jumped at the opportunity to ride my bike for transportation.

Is Coming Out To Your Grandparents Worth the Risk?

PBS Rewire / To a surprising degree, they often become allies — sometimes even more than parents.

I Never Expected to Bond with My Dad Over Real Estate, But Buying a House Brought Us Closer

Apartment Therapy / When I found myself living in a small city in upstate New York where I could afford to think about homeownership, my dad’s professional expertise was suddenly something I wanted to learn everything about.

Finding a Creative Way Around a Bad Highway

Bloomberg CityLab / Since the 1960s, an elevated stretch of Interstate 787 has blocked Albany’s Hudson River waterfront. To reconnect the city and the river, some offbeat workarounds are in order.

Table for One

Albany Business Review / Vic Christopher and Heather LaVine built a hospitality empire together. To keep it growing, though, it was time for one of them to leave.

Learning to love Mount Haystack’s elusive summit

Adirondack Explorer / “As I emerged above the treeline, I caught a glimpse of Haystack that was breathtaking in the truest sense of the word.”

As A Queer Boy Scout, Coming Out Felt Like Crossing A Line

HuffPost / “I never expected to share a moment like this with any of my Boy Scout friends.”

The Problem With ‘Climate Havens’

Bloomberg CityLab / Should cities billed as climate refuges prepare to welcome newcomers displaced by extreme weather, or focus on reducing their own carbon footprints to stave off the worst effects of global warming?

Why Focusing On the Small Things Is Distracting You From Financial Progress

PBS Rewire / Stop worrying about your morning coffee, and focus on big wins.

Coke and Pepsi eye new sustainability goals after years of failed promises

Fortune / Increased pressure from investors and customers has led to more ambitious goals for reusable and refillable packaging.

No Longer Underground

Adirondack Explorer / A museum that chronicles the history of slavery and abolition in the Adirondacks and Lake Champlain region is bringing a largely forgotten period to light.

Why family businesses are positioned to lead on ESG

GreenBiz / Family businesses are ideally situated to make progress on a whole range of ESG priorities, which could significantly shape major industries — such as shipping and automotive — where family businesses control a big portion of the market.

The work to turn pride into power

Albany Business Review / LGBTQ employees say companies should be more inclusive about who leads and has influence. They say doing so will help the region find and retain talent. / Published alongside this profile of queer attorney Marissa Wiley, as well as a personal column.