Reporter, East Oregonian

When and why did you move to Hermiston?

I moved to Hermiston Nov. 12 to begin my job reporting for the East Oregonian.

Where is your favorite place to eat in Hermiston?

Lawan’s Thai Garden is delicious, but it’s also the only time I’ve ordered food since moving to Eastern Oregon about a month ago.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

I read a lot, but on weekends I love going into the wilderness to go trail running, hiking, or lately snowshoeing and skiing. Since I moved here, I have run on Mount Emily near La Grande and snowshoed a 6-mile loop on the Umatilla Rim Trail, which were both spectacular. I can’t wait to explore more of the mountains out east.

What surprises you about Hermiston?

How kind the people are. It seems that’s the case throughout most of Oregon. Everyone is so welcoming, which is always nice when you move to an area where you don’t know anybody.

What was the last book you read?

I recently finished two books on the same day: “The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo,” by Stieg Larson, and “From Beirut To Jerusalem,” by Thomas Friedman. Incredible books.

What website or app do you use most other than Facebook?

Instagram for personal use and Twitter for work.

If you could travel anywhere, where would you go?

India. I’ve always dreamt of going there.

What is the funniest thing that’s ever happened to you?

I was once backpacking in the mountains of Japan and I found myself photographing monkeys as they were lounging around in a river. I got onto an island in the middle of some rapids and crouched down to take a photo of a baby monkey playing with a pebble. Suddenly, a large monkey, who I later learned was the leader of the pack, jumped at me, screamed and began to grab me and push me into the water as I stood up. I was terrified because this monkey was about half my size and he was tearing my pants by yanking me back and forth. Most of the pack had gathered at this point and were staring at me. I thought for sure I was lunch, though macaques don’t eat humans. Eventually, the big boss relaxed and sat down on a rock next to me, as did the other monkeys. I calmly sat down and was more or less accepted by the pack, as they never bothered me for the rest of the day. I still laugh about that moment. Not many people can say they’ve been beaten up by a monkey.

What is one of your goals for the next 12 months?

To get to know this community and the wonderful people here. There are so many fascinating stories, and I want to get to know as many people as I can to amplify their triumphs, struggles, conundrums and moments of bliss.

What is your proudest accomplishment?

That’s tough. Well, two very different things. One is that I graduated from the University of Oregon during a global pandemic. The other is that I summited Mount Fuji in Japan at sunrise after two days of climbing.