Where are you from and what were you doing before enrolling in graduate school?

I was born and raised in Denver, CO where I struggled to bake and breathe at altitude. I went to undergrad at Washington University in St. Louis and culinary school at Le Cordon Bleu in London. After graduation and some brief stints working in restaurants, I moved to Birmingham, AL to work in the Dotdash Meredith Food Studios where I spent four years testing and developing recipes for brands like Food & Wine, Southern Living, Real Simple, and Eating Well, among others.

How did you learn of the degree program and why did you choose USC Annenberg?

In college, I worked as an editorial intern at Sauce, the preeminent food publication in St. Louis, in addition to minoring in writing. I had always thought about pursuing a master's degree in journalism, so I looked into USC when I moved to Los Angeles because its reputation is known far and wide. I saw that Annenberg offered a food journalism-specific track, and the rest, as they say, is history. 

What have you enjoyed the most about the degree program?

Beyond the fantastic staff, I’ve particularly loved getting to know my fellow classmates. We all have different interests, and it’s been such a privilege getting to learn from them. Another great aspect of this program has been the guest speakers my professors bring to class. I’ve gotten to meet some incredibly cool and influential people who own businesses in Southern California, write for publications like the L.A. Times, and ghostwrite cookbooks.