About Me

Compelling personal stories have captivated me from the beginning of my career.

On my first reporting job at The Daily Record in Morristown, N.J., my long-form narratives on mental illness, abortion rights, and other deeply divisive issues drew readers and won journalism writing awards. To tell their stories, I interviewed street kids and wrote their stories for Covenant House, the shelter for homeless and abused youth on Times Square in New York City. I contributed to several books on topics that are often overlooked. New Neighbors, Old Friends, a book I edited and produced pro bono for the Morris County (NJ) Historical Society, tells the heart-wrenching stories of the Italian immigrants whose sweat built the glittering mansions along “Millionaire’s Row” in Morristown during America’s Gilded Age.

I’m just as passionate about personal finance. My bylines on the dozens of topics related to this news beat have published in print and digital news outlets including: The New York Times, Newsweek, The Wall Street Journal, TheStreet.com, The Star-Ledger, NJ Biz and businessjournalism.org. My stories stand out for the expertise and detailed reporting skills gained while reporting for “Staying Ahead,” the syndicated personal finance column bylined by Jane Bryant Quinn. I am the co-author of Asset Allocation For Dummies® (Wiley). During the financial crisis, three of the six trade books I contributed to became New York Times’ best-sellers.

If you’re an editor with a feature story, a personal essay, or an opinion piece to assign, or a book agent or publisher searching for a book that will capture the attention of readers, please contact me here.