About Me

I am a narrative writer and national reporter covering race and identity for USA TODAY. I was selected in 2018 to be an inaugural fellow with Columbia University’s new Ira A. Lipman Center for Journalism and Civil and Human Rights to write about the criminalization of black girls.

I’m a storyteller who loves digging deep into people’s lives. I’ve covered race, identity, gender issues, education, immigration, urban affairs and criminal justice at the Houston Chronicle, Associated Press, Boston Globe, Miami Herald, Philadelphia Inquirer and Orange County Register.

I’ve written about riots in Miami, hurricanes in Houston and the chaos of political conventions in Philadelphia and Boston.

I’ve been immersed in the lives of Cambodian teens navigating two cultures in South Philly, a Mexican-American family coping with English-only education in Massachusetts, a group of inner-city kids competing at a national mock trial competition and Sudanese Lost Boys remaking themselves in a new country.

And I have loved every frenetic minute of it.

I was born in Ecuador, raised in New Jersey and blessed with a love of language and words and people – the perfect combination for both my vocations.

My work has won numerous awards, including honors from the Association for Women in Communications, the Mayborn Literary Nonfiction Conference, the Texas Associated Press Managing Editors, Associated Press California-Nevada Newswriting Contest and the Society of Professional Journalists. In 2008, I was named AP’s Texas Writer of the Year. One of my stories is included in “The Best American Newspaper Narratives of 2012” anthology, which was released in July 2014.

I’m based in Houston and belong to the National Association of Hispanic Journalists, the National Association of Black Journalists, Education Writers Association, Investigative Reporters, Online News Association, and Editors and Journalism Education Association. Over the years, I’ve mentored and worked with dozens of young journalists at summer journalism boot camps run by NAHJ, NABJ and UNITY, and watched many of those students go on to remarkable careers in the business.

Awards

2018: Fellow, Ira A. Lipman Center for Journalism and Civil and Human Rights, Columbia University

2018: National Association of Black Journalists: Salute to Excellence Winner, Feature, Single Story, Newspapers over 150,000:  “CPS Runaways Are Caught in Troubling Cycle” (Houston Chronicle)

2018: National Association of Hispanic Journalists: Elaine Rivera Civil Rights and Social Justice Award: “Deeper Underground” (Houston Chronicle)

2018: Society for Features Journalism: Excellence-in-Features Awards: Honorable Mention, Diversity in Digital Features — “Deeper Underground” (Houston Chronicle)

2017: Texas Associated Press Managing Editors:  Second Place, Features – “The ride they will never forget” (Houston Chronicle)

2016: National Association of Hispanic Journalists: Presidential Award of Impact

2016: National Association of Black Journalists: Salute to Excellence Finalist, News Series, Newspapers over 150,000 – “The Divide: Income inequality in America’s economically segregated big city” (Houston Chronicle)

2016: Texas Associated Press Managing Editors: Second Place, Features – “The Divide: Income inequality in America’s economically segregated big city” (Houston Chronicle)

2016: Texas Associated Press Managing Editors: Second Place, Team Effort – “The Million” (Houston Chronicle)

2015: Houston Press Club Lone Star Award: First Place News or Feature Story – Newspapers over 50k – “For Murder Victim’s Parents, An Agonizing Ordeal” (Houston Chronicle)

2014: Texas Interscholastic League Press Conference Adviser’s Challenge:
First and Third Place: Objective Writing

2013: Association for Women in Communications, Clarion Awards: Newspaper Feature Story – Daily circulation of under 500,000 – “Teachers bring school to ill children’s bedsides” (Houston Chronicle)

2013: Mayborn Literary Nonfiction Conference, Best American Narrative Writing Contest: Notable Narrative – “Young Houstonians go from Homeless to College” (Houston Chronicle)

2008: Texas Associated Press Managing Editors: Associated Press Writer of the Year

2008: Associated Press California-Nevada Newswriting: First Place: Investigative Reporting – “Justice by Geography” (Orange County Register)

2008: Casey Medal for Meritorious Journalism: Runner-up: Single Story, 200,000-plus circulation – “Justice by Geography (Orange County Register)

2007: National Council on Crime and Delinquency: PASS Award – “Justice by Geography” (Orange County Register)

2002: Casey Journalism Center on Children and Families Fellowship

1998: Education Writers Association: First Place: Special Section – “Report Card on the Schools” (Philadelphia Inquirer)

1995: Society of Professional Journalists, New Jersey Chapter: First Place: Series – “Camden Unsolved Homicides” (Philadelphia Inquirer); First Place: Features – “In a Heartbeat” (Philadelphia Inquirer)

1994: Society of Professional Journalists, New Jersey Chapter: Second Place: Health & Science – “Battle Against Infant Mortality” (Philadelphia Inquirer)

1993: Society of Professional Journalists, New Jersey Chapter: Second Place: Business Reporting – “Migrant Farm Workers (Philadelphia Inquirer)

1993: Society of Professional Journalists, Philadelphia Chapter: First Place: Breaking News – “Lakeberg Babies” (Philadelphia Inquirer)

1992: Society of Professional Journalists, New Jersey Chapter: Third Place: Enterprise Reporting – “Twice Jailed, Twice Wrongly” (Philadelphia Inquirer)