For more than three decades, I’ve worked as a journalist, storyteller and educator, helping people and communities share meaningful human stories.

My career has included reporting for the Austin American-Statesman, PeopleMagazine, and the Miami Herald, where I shared in the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service for our coverage of Hurricane Andrew.

During a brief stint as a reporter for the supermarket tabloid Star Magazine, I traveled to 30 states, met Liz Taylor in Acapulco and secured the worldwide exclusive story from Charles Manson’s biological son.

Despite that nutty year (I named it my Grace Gone Journalism-Wild era,) I was accepted to Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism, where, much to the chagrin of the really serious students, I graduated with honors.

I love all stories. I love hearing them, and I love telling them. And over the years I’ve learned that storytelling
can happen in a variety of forums and formats.

Over the course of my career, I’ve interviewed celebrities, covered crime scenes, braved hurricane winds, taught journalism students to tell their own stories, created alumni profiles to inspire a new generation of students, used storytelling to direct fundraising campaigns, moderated community conversations, hosted
a Ted talk, helped my students self-publish 10 books and given keynote addresses on the power of
storytelling and human connection.

Along the way, I also:

• Ran the New York City Marathon as a self-described
  “back-of-the-pack professional marathoner” and somehow
  gained two pounds.

• Created a sponsor-driven “Running for Donuts and World Peace”
  campaign that landed in the Associated Press and newspapers
  around the world.

• Wrote and directed a fundraising film for the Experimental Aircraft
  Association’s Young Eagles program, narrated by Harrison Ford,
  which means I technically got to put words in Han Solo’s mouth.

• Was named one of Wisconsin’s 40 Most Influential Asian American
  Leaders, honored with the Inclusive Excellence Award by the UW
  System Board of Regents and awarded UW System Women of Color
  in Education honors.

• Learned that authentic human stories connect with people far
  better than polished marketing copy.

• Had a blast!