Writer, editor and storyteller.
Bicultural and bilingual (English/Spanish).
Education
University of Texas, El Paso
Master of Fine Arts (in progress)
Bilingual Creative Writing
University of California, Santa Barbara
Bachelor of Arts
Political Science-International Relations
University of California, Los Angeles
writing courses
FILM TV: Creating Powerful Scenes
FILM TV Half-Hour TV Script Writing
FILM TV: Writing Funnier and Better Using Improve Comedy Techniques
Gavilan College
writing course
THEATRE: El Teatro Campesino, the Works of Luis Valdez
Yale
writing seminar
Thread at Yale: Storytelling for Modern Media
Professional Experience
Regional Brand Editor & Reporter, Law.com/The Recorder (California)
Present
- Report on Intellectual Property cases and issues across the U.S., including emerging case law on artificial intelligence, copyrights and patent and trademarks.
- Manage editorial priorities for The Recorder, ALM's California-focused digital newsroom in order to boost engagement and build audience.
- Produce two daily newsletters highlighting the most important developments impacting California's legal community.
Previous Editorial Experience
Central Valley Journalism Collaborative, Founding Editor in Chief (Merced, Calif.)
2022 — 2023
Institute for Nonprofit News, Member Network Director (remote)
2020—2022
National Public Radio, Deputy Managing Editor, NPR West (Culver City, Calif.)
2017—2019
The Associated Press, editorial & business roles (U.S. and Latin America)
June 1991—August 2015
From 1991 to 2015, I rose from being a news intern to a bureau chief and foreign desk editor, working from bureaus across the United States and Latin America. (Details below)
- Editor - Latin America Desk-Mexico City
- Chief of Bureau - Minnesota - Dakotas - Nebraska
- Deputy Chief of Bureau - Florida/ Caribbean business manager
- Supervisory Correspondent-San Diego
- Foreign Correspondent-Latin America
- International Desk Editor-New York
- News Reporter-Portland, Ore.; Denver; Detroit
McClatchy, Managing Editor, Merced Sun-Star
2015—2017
Time Magazine, Reporter-Researcher Intern (New York City)
Summer 1990
Languages
- English (native level)
- Spanish (fluent)
- Italian (basic)
- French (basic)
Volunteering & Leadership
National Association of Hispanic Journalists
City of Merced Arts & Culture Advisory Commission
Leadership Merced
Society of Professional Journalists
Latino Journalists of California (CCNMA)
Publications & Readings
Kelp Journal, Summer 2025 - "Un Momento" (fiction)
Merced Lit Fest, September 2024 - "The Trail" (essay)
The Catalyst, Spring 2017 - "Neither Here Nor There" (fiction)
Merced River Literary Review, Summer 2016 - "Neither Here Nor There" (fiction)
Merced River Literary Review, Summer 2016 - "Maybelline" (poetry)
Awards & Fellowships
PEN America Emerging Voices workshop
Los Angeles • 06/2025
RIAS Berlin Commission journalism fellowship
RIAS Berlin Kommission, Germany • 06/2019
California News Publishers Association - General Excellence
California Newspaper Publishers Association • 05/2017
George F. Gruner Award 1st Place for Best Feature Story
George F. Gruner Awards • 02/2017
California Newspaper Publishers Association - General Excellence
California Newspaper Publishers Association • 05/2016
APME John L. Dougherty Award-Finalist
Associated Press Managing Editors • 06/1995