Current
Creative Writing Instructor
Orange County School of the Arts
August 2023 - Present
Back to teaching Interactive Fiction and Game Design for Writers — and pivoting my career-path better than Ross, Rachel, and Chandler pivot a couch. In the process of clearing my CTE credential in Arts, Media, and Entertainment, too.
January 2017 - May 2021
Crafted curriculum from scratch to teach Science and Technology in Literature, Interactive Fiction, Mystery Writing, Urban Myths and Legends, and other writing and genre study courses. To quote some of my students, “Ten out of ten, would take again,” and "I'm going to miss this class."
Freelance
September 2024 - Present
Contributing writer at Laptop Mag; you can take the girl out of tech, but you can't take the tech out of the girl — or something like that. I swear I'm not a cyborg... yet.
Past
Laptop Reviewer
The Verge
February 2024 - September 2024
Took all my laptop, hardware, and gaming knowledge and put it to work. Got to write some of my favorite articles to-date, like this one and this one (and show off my favorite family heirloom).
Senior Tech Editor
USA Today
May 2021 - December 2023
I managed the laptop vertical for USA Today's e-commerce site, Reviewed, and still somehow found time to write reviews. I also spearheaded the launch of a new gaming vertical.
Staff Reporter, Reviews
Gizmodo
March 2020 - May 2021
I was the go-to CPU, GPU, and laptop review gal. I also reported on internet tech and policy, cloud gaming, tech lawsuits, cat gadgets, and my horrible experiences with kitchen appliances.
Hardware Staff Writer
PC Gamer
October 2018 - March 2020
I wrote gaming desktop PC reviews, hardware how-tos, and features for PCGamer.com, PC Gamer magazine, and Maximum PC magazine. Other beats: cloud gaming, weird hardware, The Sims 4, BlizzCon, and Vampire: The Masquerade—Bloodlines 2.
Freelance
May 2015 - October 2018
I spent most of my time reviewing video games and managing the reviews sections for a few independent games outlets and doing QA/mock reviews for all-inclusive games PR companies: Only Single Player, Gameumentary, Marooners' Rock, Goomba Stomp, Novy Unlimited, Ultimate Game Database.
Magazine and Volunteer Work
Game Development Advisory Board Member
Fowler School of Engineering, Chapman University
September 2020 - May 2021
Honored to have had a hand in my alma mater's long-term project of redesigning its game development minor.
Senior Assistant Fiction Editor
Abyss & Apex
January 2015 - May 2021
I read slush. I might have read your slush. Here are a few stories I pulled out of the slush pile: this, this, and this.
Mentor
WriteGirl
September 2014 - January 2019
Provided creative writing and college application mentoring on a semi-monthly basis. Planned monthly workshops for high school students who lacked access to the same or similar resources at their schools.
Co-founder
Anastamos
May 2016 - May 2017
I co-founded an interdisciplinary graduate journal, launched our first issue in both digital and print, and even took a few trips to the East Coast to promote the journal and sit on a panel. It was awesome.
Publicity Manager
Calliope Art & Literary Magazine
May 2015 - May 2016
I organized calls for submissions, designed flyers, improved the magazine's presence on our college campus, reviewed fiction and poetry submissions — you know, the usual. I helped with the submission process, too.
Education
MFA Creative Writing
Chapman University
2014 - 2017
MA Screenwriting
National University of Ireland, Galway
2010 - 2011
BA English: Writing
University of Redlands
2005 - 2009
Certifications
California Technical Education Teaching Credential
Arts, Media, Entertainment
Expiration: Sept. 2026
CertTESOL
Trinity College London
Expiration: N/A
Memberships
Investigative Reporters & Editors
2023 - Present
Writers Guild of America
2020 - Present
Horror Writers Association
2017 - Present
Of Note
Academy of American Poets Jean Burden Award
2005
California Arts Scholar
2004