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Senate's budget Snub: $71.B COFA Renewals Excluded 

Taiwan's top diplomat to Guam on Nauru's switch and Pacific relations

Summit unveils Guam's critical cybersecurity threats and solutions

National Public Radio (NPR)

Reported Pieces

Stories I've pitched, reported, and produced for the NPR newsmagazines.

Morning Edition & Up First

As a producer, I pitch story ideas to help build and shape the show, book guests regularly, produce interviews, and edit/cut tape for broadcast.

NPR •

India became the first country to land a spacecraft near the moon's south pole

India became the first country to land a spacecraft near the moon's south pole

NPR's Leila Fadel speaks with the Jill Stuart, an expert in the politics and ethics of space exploration, about India's successful lunar landing.

One common signal of a rising nation is a moonshot. The United States put people on the moon during the Cold War. Now, that exact thing has not happened since, but China has sent spacecraft there. And now India has accomplished something that no other country has done.

SR
NPR •

Lahaina residents worry developers will scoop up land after the recent wildfires

Lahaina residents worry developers will scoop up land after the recent wildfires

NPR's Leila Fadel talks to Tiare Lawrence, who belongs to a coalition of community members that worry Lahaina will be rebuilt without the buy-in of local residents.

Residents of Lahaina in Maui say they're worried about real estate developers scooping up land after the recent wildfires. Last week, some community members held a press conference calling on Hawaii Governor Josh Green to protect Lahaina from what they
NPR •

'Give yourself grace': Camp Fire survivors offer advice to people in Maui

'Give yourself grace': Camp Fire survivors offer advice to people in Maui

What do you do after wildfires have destroyed your home, your community and the life you knew?

That's a question on the minds of residents of Maui, where deadly wildfires killed more than 100 people and devastated the town of Lahaina last week. And it's one that many others in the western U.S. have had to grapple with in recent years, too.

For some, the events unfolding in Maui serve as a painful reminder of what they w
NPR •

Soccer champion Brandi Chastain assesses the U.S. team and what's ahead for them

Soccer champion Brandi Chastain assesses the U.S. team and what's ahead for them

The Women's World Cup quarterfinals begin tomorrow with Spain facing off against the Netherlands. But several heavyweights have already been eliminated. That includes the United States, which failed to make it to the quarterfinals for the first time. Our next guest knows what it takes to win the World Cup.

UNIDENTIFIED SPORTSCASTER: Brandi Chastain does it. And the USA are world champions once again.

MCCAMMON: Th
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Lawsuit against Lizzo is a problem because it cuts against her image, PR expert says

Lawsuit against Lizzo is a problem because it cuts against her image, PR expert says

Lizzo has been in the news lately in a way that she would rather not be. The artist, who is an advocate for body positivity and self-love, is being sued by three of her dancers who allege sexual, religious and racial harassment, as well as fat shaming. Lizzo has denied the allegations. Let's talk them through with Molly McPherson, a public relations expert who specializes in the sort of celebrity crisis that Li
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Scientists are abuzz — they've figured out where bees originated

Scientists are abuzz — they've figured out where bees originated

An international team of scientists has found that the world's first bees emerged more than 120 million years ago from an ancient supercontinent encompassing Africa and South America.

We are covering the birds and bees today. Silas Bossert is researching the history of bees. He's an assistant professor at Washington State University.

SILAS BOSSERT: We have over 20,000 species of bees. And one of those long-standing questions was
NPR •

NYC's Mayor Eric Adams proposes suspending shelter right amid migrant crisis

The arrival of tens of thousands of migrants has brought New York City's resources to the brink. The city's largest intake center for asylum-seekers is filled to capacity and people are being forced to sleep on the sidewalk, sometimes for days at a time, as they wait to be processed. Mayor Eric Adams says such scenes will be more common if the issue isn't addressed.

ERIC ADAMS: We need help, and it's not going to get any better. From this moment on, it's downhill. There is no more room.

MARTÍN
NPR •

Author Susan Casey takes readers along with her to profound depths of the ocean

Author Susan Casey takes readers along with her to profound depths of the ocean

It's easy to dream about space because all you got to do is go outside and look up to see some of what's out there. But the deep ocean - that's not so easy. Because even if you're in the ocean, you can't just look down and see what's in the deep waters.

SUSAN CASEY: Typically, it's defined as the waters below 600 feet. So, as you can imagine, since it goes all the way down to almost 36,000 feet in places, the deep
NPR •

Researchers study cricket courtship to understand sexy behavior in other animals

Researchers study cricket courtship to understand sexy behavior in other animals

British researchers have discovered that the way crickets rub their wings together to sing — is about the closest an insect can come to a dating app.

In many parts of the world, crickets' song is a part of the soundtrack of summer. British researchers have discovered that the way crickets rub their wings together to make that sound is kind of like a dating app for insects.

Tom Tregenza is a professor at the Unive
NPR •

How beavers are helping restore wetlands and create buffers against wildfires

How beavers are helping restore wetlands and create buffers against wildfires

Some experts now see beavers — nature's helpers — as their dams can mitigate the effects of drought and wildfires.

Beavers are doing their part to mitigate climate change. They help ease the effects of drought and wildfires by damming up streams and forming ponds.

That's according to the self-proclaimed beaver-dam enthusiast Emily Fairfax. She's also an assistant professor of environmental science and resource manag
NPR •

Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman to retire after 30 years of service

Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman to retire after 30 years of service

Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman — the second in command at the State Department — reflects on U.S.-China relations as she gets ready to retire.

For a few days longer, Wendy Sherman is the deputy secretary of state, the No. 2 U.S. diplomat. But she says her staff has already packed her office.

WENDY SHERMAN: I think that this exit is truly my last.

INSKEEP: Sherman is retiring after a career in three Democrati
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As 'Shark Week' becomes more sensational, a look at some misconceptions about sharks

As 'Shark Week' becomes more sensational, a look at some misconceptions about sharks

"Shark Week" is back for a 35th year. The show has been criticized for becoming more sensational and for presenting graphic animal violence. So what's the truth behind shark attacks?

Shark fans, listen up. It's that time of the year again. Discovery Channel's Shark Week is back for a 35th year.

Some excitement there. The program was created to encourage conservation and correct misconceptions about sharks. It
NPR •

Key takeaways from this week's NATO summit, according to the group's leader

Key takeaways from this week's NATO summit, according to the group's leader

NATO wrapped up a key summit this week with one new member at the table and two more on the way — a significant expansion of the alliance that, its head says, shows Russia miscalculated when it invaded Ukraine.

"The reality is that [Russian President Vladimir] Putin now is getting the exact opposite of what he wanted when he went to war against Ukraine," says Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, referring to Russia's co
NPR •

'Speak Now (Taylor's Version)' is the 3rd re-recorded album by Taylor Swift

'Speak Now (Taylor's Version)' is the 3rd re-recorded album by Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift has released Speak Now (Taylor's Version) — a re-recording of her old hits from 2010 with some new songs from her vault.

Taylor Swift released "Speak Now (Taylor's Version)" on Friday. She was just 19 when the original version of that album came out in 2010.

This new version features rerecordings of every song, plus a few bonus tracks.

TAYLOR SWIFT: (Singing) 'Cause I can see you waiting down the hall fo
NPR.org •

The Nord Stream leaks are a wake-up call for countries with vulnerable pipelines

The Nord Stream leaks are a wake-up call for countries with vulnerable pipelines

A week after several suspicious ruptures were discovered along the undersea Nord Stream pipeline, gas has reportedly stopped leaking but the questions keep flowing. Namely: What — and who — caused the damage? And how can countries try to prevent similar incidents going forward?

Scientists say the two leaks were likely caused by powerful underwater explosions, based on seismic data from Sweden and Denmark. And Euro

Culture Desk

As Associate producer, I extensively produced sound-rich radio features, TV & film reviews, and news stories for the Culture Desk.

NPR.org •

The hidden world of an opera prompter

The hidden world of an opera prompter

To reach the prompter's box at the home of the San Francisco Opera, Matthew Piatt heads under the stage and walks down a long, narrow passageway.

Then he shimmies up a metal ladder.

"I always have to be careful not to rip my pants," Piatt says, as he hoists himself into a seat and pushes a button to propel himself upward several feet, using a hydraulic lift. From this vantage point, Piatt can view the entire stage through an opening that's about the size
NPR.org •

It's kids who are the stars of the Grammy-nominated Alphabet Rockers

It's kids who are the stars of the Grammy-nominated Alphabet Rockers

When Kaitlin McGaw and Tommy Soulati Shepherd founded the performance collective Alphabet Rockers, the longtime friends wanted to inspire children to make social change. Hip hop seemed the perfect medium.

"When you look at hip hop, it's an invitation to be exactly who you are," said McGaw. "There's also a lot of wordplay, so it's absolutely a root of fun conversation, expression, bravado, listening, all these things that teac
NPR.org •

Community bands are back after being battered by the pandemic

Community bands are back after being battered by the pandemic

Community bands date back to the American Revolution. The Association of Concert Bands estimates that there are more than 1,000 of them around the country. Several have been playing since the 19th Century, including The Allentown Band in Pennsylvania, which began in 1828. The pandemic has battered these amateur bands but they're getting back to performing, especially after Labor Day.

The Metropolitan Atlanta Community Band, a predom
NPR.org •

Chautauqua Institution re-examines security after Salman Rushdie attack

Visiting the storied Chautauqua Institution in western New York, with its narrow streets winding past gingerbread-trimmed Victorian houses, can sometimes feel like taking a journey into a quieter, gentler past.

It's a friendly, earnest place for serious conversation and quiet contemplation, where crime is practically non-existent and the realities of the outside world can seem a long way off.

But on the morning of Aug. 12, reality came crashing in.

Author Salman Rushdie was brutally stabbed i
NPR.org •

Discovering the forgotten women of silent cinema

Long before there were movie trailers to help people make their viewing decisions, there were these things called "lobby cards."

The hand-drawn images or photographic stills typically included a "title card" showing the name of the film and the key players involved, and then a number of "scene cards" showing key moments from the plot.

"Think of it as a static trailer," said Melissa Walker, curator of Experimental Marriage: Women in Early Hollywood, an exhibition of silent era lobby cards curre
NPR.org •

Against the odds: How Blondie shattered the conventions of punk and pop

Against the odds: How Blondie shattered the conventions of punk and pop

By the early 1970s, the Greenwich Village folk scene had faded, and a new sound was wafting up from the street. New York Dolls frontman David Johansen says it found a home just north of Bleecker Street and east of Washington Square. "I was friends with Eric Emerson, who had a band called Magic Tramps, and he said that he was going to do a gig at this new place, Mercer Arts Center, and would my band want to come and open for
NPR.org •

Exiled writers reflect on freedom of speech in America in light of Rushdie attack

Exiled writers reflect on freedom of speech in America in light of Rushdie attack

For dissident writers fleeing persecution overseas, the United States has long been a safe haven, a place where freedom of expression is tolerated and, even, valued.

That suddenly changed earlier this month, with the brutal attack on author Salman Rushdie at a speaking event in western New York.

"Oh my God! When I heard that, I was screaming," said Masih Alinejad, a writer and activist who has criticized the Ira
NPR.org •

The rise of the 'Morally Dubious Podcaster' in pop culture

The rise of the 'Morally Dubious Podcaster' in pop culture

One of this summer's most popular shows centers on a slimy true crime podcaster. Only Murders In the Building, on Hulu, follows three fans of a Serial-like show called All Is Not OK in Oklahoma. By the end of season two, it becomes clear the show's host, played by Tina Fey, may be a cold-blooded murderer herself.

"I need something with famous people, and blood!" she wails to an assistant. "God, I need a murder. A good one!"

Fey's char
NPR.org •

For this 89-year-old Gullah Geechee chef, cooking is about heart

For this 89-year-old Gullah Geechee chef, cooking is about heart

Lots of home cooks would be excited to get a book deal. In the case of one home chef, she got that opportunity at the age of 89 years old. Emily Meggett is from the low country of South Carolina, and NPR traveled to her home on Edisto Island to appreciate some of her cooking.

Edisto Island is a beautiful, quiet community of about 2,000 people, nearly an hour's drive south of Charleston. The roads are framed by massive oak trees d
NPR.org •

Authors and bookstore owners worry a big publishing merger will affect diversity

One of the largest antitrust trials ever to hit the publishing industry is unfolding in a federal courthouse in Washington. The Department of Justice says that the proposed merger announced in 2020 between Penguin Random House and Simon & Schuster would stifle competition.

But what would a successful merger mean on a practical level for booksellers, authors and others in the industry?

Saira Rao, an author in Richmond, Va., has been watching the case closely. Even though Penguin Random House is
NPR.org •

Super Fly at 50: A blaxploitation classic that remains a powerful pop culture force

It has been 50 years since Sheila Frazier made her big-screen debut as Georgia, girlfriend to wily drug dealer Youngblood Priest, in the blaxploitation film classic Super Fly.

And Frazier estimates there hasn't been a week in her life that has passed since the premiere without someone mentioning the movie.

"It does surprise me that it's been 50 years and people are still talking about it," says Frazier, who initially took the job thinking it would be great to act in a movie with Ron O'Neal, wh
NPR.org •

A group of Orthodox Jews in Brooklyn is reviving the golden age of cantorial music

A group of Orthodox Jews in Brooklyn is reviving the golden age of cantorial music

Jeremiah Lockwood comes from a family of cantors, the spiritual leaders that guide Jewish congregations in prayer and song. His grandfather, the late Jacob Konigsberg, served as a cantor in several cities and performed in concerts outside of religious services, always hoping to inspire people with liturgical music.

It's no surprise that Lockwood would incorporate cantorial music in his own band, The Sway Machine
NPR.org •

Jordan Peele mixes science fiction and thrills in 'Nope'

Jordan Peele's latest thriller, Nope, has been shrouded in secrecy, but the shroud comes off this weekend.

Filmmaker Jordan Peele has an enviable record as a writer-director. Both of his first two films - the mystery thriller "Get Out" and the horror thriller "Us" - earned rave reviews, and he chalked up more than a quarter of a billion dollars in ticket sales. His latest thriller, "Nope," mixes science fiction with the thrills in ways that critic Bob Mondello promises us he will be very carefu
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Questions linger over 'Where the Crawdads Sing' author as film adaptation is released

Questions linger over 'Where the Crawdads Sing' author as film adaptation is released

Where the Crawdads Sing tells the fictional story of Kya, a girl left to raise herself along a North Carolina bayou in the 1950s and 60s. "The marsh girl," as she's known, is reviled and shunned by those in the nearby town. In time, Kya is put on trial for murder. Now, there's a film adapted from the novel by an author with a mysterious past.

It took wildlife scientist Delia Owens a decade to write Where the
NPR.org •

Dreaming of Dior, a charwoman follows her bliss in 'Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris'

Dreaming of Dior, a charwoman follows her bliss in 'Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris'

Last week, while Chris Hemsworth's Thor was smashing up eternity, I retreated to a quieter cineplex auditorium to soak up the period pleasures of Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris.

The year is 1957 in a bustling, overcast London, where cleaning lady Ada Harris (Lesley Manville, ever chipper and commonsensical) is all about brightening everyone else's day, even as folks barely notice her.

She makes their apartments sparkle,
NPR.org •

In 'Thor: Love & Thunder,' the hammer-throwing hero takes on Gorr the God Butcher

In 'Thor: Love & Thunder,' the hammer-throwing hero takes on Gorr the God Butcher

Thor becomes the first Marvel superhero to get a four-quel in Thor: Love & Thunder, which finds him battling a villain called Gorr The God Butcher.

The movie "Thor: Love And Thunder" opens in thousands of theaters this weekend. It is the latest adventure of Marvel's hammer-throwing, axe-wielding superhero, and the movie is expected to bring millions of patrons to cinemas that have been bustling in an almost pre-p
NPR.org •

Elvis songwriter Mike Stoller looks back on his hits

Elvis songwriter Mike Stoller looks back on his hits

Mike Stoller was 17 when he wrote his first song. He hadn't been interested in songwriting before that, but he was playing piano around L.A. when a total stranger — Jerry Leiber, also 17 — called him out of the blue.

"We had this funny conversation on the phone where he asked me if I would like to write songs with him, and I said no," Stoller laughs. He told Leiber that he didn't like songs he heard on the radio; he liked Bartok, Stravinsky,
NPR.org •

Pulitzer Prize-winning play 'Fat Ham' takes 'Hamlet' in unexpected directions

The character of Juicy is described in the new play Fat Ham as "a kind of Hamlet" - his father is dead and a ghost, his uncle has killed him, and that uncle is now married to his mother.

This ghost-father, though, struts onstage in a sparkly white suit, smoke wafting from his shoulders. The uncle, played by the same actor, Billy Eugene Jones, is a pig farmer and barbecue pit master, casually cruel. And Juicy, though lonely and sad and smart like Hamlet, is also sensitive and (mostly) kind. And
NPR.org •

Mo Willems' naked mole rats owe their rock 'n' roll sound to this composer

Mo Willems' naked mole rats owe their rock 'n' roll sound to this composer

Composer Deborah Wicks La Puma has written music for a pigeon, an elephant and a pig...and now, a colony of naked mole rats. That's what you do when you work with Mo Willems, the author and illustrator of Don't Let The Pigeon Drive the Bus and other children's books.

Their latest collaboration is the new, animated version of Willems' Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed: The Underground Rock Experience, now airing on HBO Max.

"
NPR.org •

Ticking down a checklist of qualifications in 'Mr. Malcolm's List'

Ticking down a checklist of qualifications in 'Mr. Malcolm's List'

Delicate teacups, gentlemen tipping hats to ladies with parasols. The new Regency romance, Mr. Malcolm's List has a lot in common with ones you've seen before, and that's true whether you're thinking the tradition-bound like Pride and Prejudice, or the multiculturally-cast like Bridgerton.

The story is set mostly in 1818, in posh enough circumstances that we're introduced to the title character as he's entering an opera house —
NPR.org •

How Elizabeth Cotten's music fueled the folk revival

As a Black woman playing fingerstyle guitar, Yasmin Williams has been hailed as a "hero for a new generation." She says she often felt like an anomaly- until she discovered a YouTube video of Elizabeth Cotten.

"I knew about Sister Rosetta Tharpe and other kind of more rock and roll or electric players and singers and I loved them too, but just seeing an acoustic guitarist was amazing." But when Williams tried to learn more about Cotten she discovered that most accounts of her life skipped over
NPR.org •

Frustrated by society's erasure, the Lesbian Avengers fought back

When Yusef Hawkins, a 16-year-old Black teenager, was ambushed and murdered by a white mob in 1989, it drew attention to New York City's deep and longstanding racial divide. A group of teachers and administrators responded by creating "Children of the Rainbow," a curriculum for first graders intended to promote understanding and respect. Students would learn about Mexican hat dances and Greek New Year's Day bread, and within more than 400 pages of recommended learning activities, there was also
NPR.org •

Austin Butler brings the King's moves, mannerisms and voice in 'Elvis'

Austin Butler brings the King's moves, mannerisms and voice in 'Elvis'

Baz Luhrmann's musical biopic, Elvis, stars Austin Butler as a hip-swiveling Elvis Presley and Tom Hanks as his devious, exploitive manager "Col." Tom Parker.

What happens when the king of movie extravagance meets the king of rock 'n' roll?

KELLY: Filmmaker Baz Luhrmann, who made "Moulin Rouge," doesn't do anything small. Well, neither did Elvis. So the movie? Well, as Presley might say...

AUSTIN BUTLER: (As Elvis) This a
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Some states are changing the laws that govern community libraries

Some states are changing the laws that govern community libraries

When the Kentucky Legislature started mulling a bill that would tighten control over public libraries earlier this year, librarians across the state called their lawmakers pushing for its defeat.

In the past, legislators would at least have heard them out, says Jean Ruark, chair of the advocacy committee of the Kentucky Library Association. Not this time.

"It seemed as though our efforts fell on deaf ears. There was a big outcr

Wyoming Public Media

Reported Pieces & Interviews Produced

In addition to hosting Morning Edition for the station, I pitched, reported, and produced weekly radio news features, and interviews to broadcast on our award-winning weekly current affairs program, Open Spaces.

Wyoming Public Media •

UW Art Museum Director Talks About Insurrection's Impact On Art, History And Museums

When an insurrection mob violently pushed through the entrance of the Capitol building on January 6, the American Alliance of Museums issued a statement condemning the violence that occurred. They did so because the Capitol is more than a workplace, it's a living museum.

Wyoming Public Radio's Naina Rao spoke to University of Wyoming's Art Museum director, Nicole Crawford, on her perspective regarding the aftermath and effects the insurrection has made on art, history, and museums.
Wyoming Public Media •

Wyoming's Poet Laureate Shares What He's Thankful For This Year

It's safe to say that 2020 has been a very difficult, trying year for a lot of people across the world. Wyoming's Poet Laureate, Eugene Gagliano, agrees. But the pandemic also made him realize a different perspective—how grateful he was to be living in the state of Wyoming.

He shared his perspective by writing a poem, called The Blessing of Wyoming. And it got published in the New York Times. He recited the poem during his conversation with Wyoming Public Radio's Naina Rao.

WAMU 88.5 FM

1A

As 1A's associate producer, I was responsible for research, pre-interviews, production, finalizing guest bookings and pitching story ideas for the show. 

Feet in 2 Worlds

'A Better Life?' Podcast

Feet in 2 Worlds is a nonprofit newsroom dedicated to telling the stories of today's immigrants. I pitched, reported, and produced a long-form narrative podcast episode for the second season of 'A Better Life?' show about how COVID-19 has impacted the idea of the 'American Dream'.

Feet in 2 Worlds •

I Want to Stay Here, Just Not Forever: “A Better Life?” Podcast

Mohammed Ahsanul is an international student at the University of Wyoming about to complete his Ph.D. in applied mathematics. Once he finishes his degree, he expects to return home to Dhaka, Bangladesh—but not before his family reunites with him for the first time since the pandemic began. In the latest episode of A Better Life?, Producer Naina Rao joins Mohammed and his family for a trip to see America as she examines the ways a better life in the U.S. doesn’t always mean a permanent stay.

Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA)

VOICES

I served as the Audio team mentor and editor for AAJA's VOICES program. In this role, I worked, mentored, and edited two early-career reporters respectively in 2021 and 2022 to report and produce their first radio news feature.

Voices Los Angeles 2022 •

Non-white English teachers in Asia face discrimination

All you really need to be hired as an English teacher in Asia is a passport from the right country, or in some cases just look white.

“I’ve met like people who are just like ‘I was backpacking through Southeast Asia and I fell in love with Thailand and I just wanted to stay, so I just started teaching English,” said Tessa Charupatanapongse, who was born in Thailand and attended American school there. After finishing her Bachelor’s in the U.S., she returned to Thailand thinking that she could te
Voices Los Angeles 2022 •

The power of Asian American art to heal and bridge generational gaps

The Long History of Social Change in Asian American Art

Snehal Desai is the artistic director of the first Asian American theater company in the United States, the East West Players. The company was founded in 1965 and is in Little Tokyo at a former church in Los Angeles. East West Players is at the core of the Asian American Pacific Islander arts community. While dismantling the stereotypes that are thrust upon AAPI actors, the group’s mission is to also share Asian American stories with the p