- Award-winning reporter, host and producer for local, national and international media.
- Creator of high-quality content for radio, podcasts, TV, print, digital media and the web.
- Experience collaborating with multimedia teams to produce engaging stories.
MULTIMEDIA JOURNALISM EXPERIENCE
National Public Radio – Freelance Reporter
1995 – present
Honored with national awards from the Asian American Journalists Association for two stories:
Soundtracking ‘The Descendants’ With ‘Real’ Hawaiian Music
Nona Beamer: Hawaiian Elder
Created meaningful stories to help enhance NPR’s news, and arts and cultural coverage of Hawaii and the Pacific Rim.
Edith Kanaka’ole is the first Hawaiian woman to grace a U.S. quarter
Museum Exhibition Explores The History Of Surfing In Hawaii
Remembering A Legendary Hawaiian Musician
These Nightclub Entertainers Paved The Way For Asian-Americans In Showbiz
A (Very) Young Jazz Pianist Takes Giant Steps Towards Musical Mastery
‘If It Swings:’ An Asian-American Jazzman’s Pioneering Career
Bassist Lyle Ritz: Father of Jazz Ukulele
Wayfinders: Polynesian Navigation
USS Missouri Museum
Bla Pahinui
Billy Higgins
Byron Yasui
Hapa
Keola Beamer
A.K.A. Don Bonus – Young Cambodian Documents His Life in America
Picture Bride
Jazziz Magazine – Freelance Writer
2022
Requiem for a Hawaii Jazz King: Remembering Gabe Baltazar
Los Angeles Times – Special Correspondent
2017- 2019
Wrote for the National News, Entertainment & Arts, and Travel sections.
Canoe voyage from Hawaii to California aims to raise environmental awareness, connect with island culture
A Hawaiian island got about 50 inches of rain in 24 hours. Scientists warn it’s a sign of the future
Hawaii assures travelers it’s open for business as erupting volcano makes tourists skittish
As lava pours into the ocean from Hawaii’s Kilauea, a new risk surfaces: laze
USS Arizona Memorial, watery grave of Pearl Harbor sailors, remains closed as officials mull repairs (front-page story)
A big storm hit Kauai, spawning another issue: Are tourists wrecking the island?
In danger of being overrun, some places are trying to manage tourism. Here’s how
Chinese American artist Kam Mak creates the new Forever stamp honoring the Lunar New Year
The life and legacy of SF Mayor Ed Lee is chronicled in a new documentary
Mai Tai Sing, pioneering Chinese American entertainer, dies at 94
NBC News Digital Media – Freelance Writer
2016 – 2018
Created original content for NBC Asian America, which is part of NBCNews.com.
After 40 Years, Hiroshima’s Music Still Resonates
Jazz Icon Jimmy Borges Inspired Others, Brought Hawaii to the World
New Lunar New Year Stamp Draws Inspiration from ‘Pioneer in the Hawaii Design Industry’
Voice of America – Freelance Reporter
Produced engaging Americana radio features for a global audience.
‘Rock Star’ Botanist Rappels Down Cliffs to Save Hawaii’s Rarest Plants
Ancient Hawaiian Farmers Offer Lessons in Sustainability
Tyrus Wong: Chinese American Artist Broke Barriers, Reached Back Centuries to Create Bambi
‘Moana’ Making Waves Around Globe
Postal Service Marks Lunar New Year with Stamp by Kam Mak
Asian-Americans Help Alter Face of Hollywood
New Documentary Explores Evolving Asian American Cuisine (Text)
Asian Culture Spices Up America’s Melting Pot (Video)
‘Linsanity’ Details Rise of Asian-American Basketball Star
‘Lost’ Finds the End of the Road
Worldwide TV Audience Gets ‘Lost’
Honolulu Star-Advertiser
2016 – 2017
Ukulele artist played jazz, influenced isle musicians
Stamps honor isle artist Clarence Lee
APM’s “Marketplace”- Freelance Radio Reporter
2003 – 2018
Hawaii’s lucrative film and TV industry grapples with a new… tax rebates
Honolulu Municipal Television Producer and Reporter
2006 – 2016
Produced, wrote and narrated video content for the Honolulu Mayor’s TV show.
Hawaii Five-0 World Premiere on Waikiki Beach
AARP Radio “Prime Time Postscript” – Freelance Reporter
2006 – 2014
Father Damien of Molokai: Hawaii’s First Saint (video slideshow)
PRI’s “The World” Freelance Reporter
2002 – 2010
Won several SPJ Hawaii Awards for “The World” stories including:
Surfing Legend Duke Kahanamoku Gets A Stamp
“The Environment Report” Freelance Reporter
2010
KQED’s “Pacific Time” Freelance Reporter
2000 – 2007
KGMB TV General Assignment Reporter, Honolulu
2004
“Living on Earth” – Freelance Reporter
2001 – 2002
Humpback Whale Song
Hawaiian Awa
Native Hawaiian Center of Excellence at the John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii
2001 – 2002
Producer and Host for five hour-long videos on pioneering Native Hawaiian doctors and scientists.
Hawaii Public Radio – News Anchor and Reporter
1998 – 2000
Host of local “All Things Considered,” a half-hour daily news show.
A Hawaiian Christmas with Slack Key Master Kapono Beamer
Won four SPJ Hawaii Awards in 1999 for investigative, feature, series and public service reporting for USS Missouri Museum.
KQED Public Radio – Freelance Reporter, San Francisco
1994 – 1996
Covered arts and culture and entertainment.
KCSM Jazz 91 – Public Radio Host and Interviewer, San Francisco
1993 – 1996
KCCN TV – Freelance Reporter, Monterey
1992 – 1995
Covered news and cultural events, including the Monterey Jazz Festival. Interviewed artist Hank Ketcham, who created the “Dennis the Menace” comic strip.
DIGITAL AND PRINT MEDIA FREELANCE WRITER
Honolulu Star-Advertiser, Honolulu Star-Bulletin, Honolulu Advertiser, Honolulu Magazine, Pacific Business News, Honolulu Civil Beat and AAA Hawaii Magazine. In the May 2014 issue of Kai Wai Ola (The Living Water of OHA is a monthly newspaper of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs serving the Native Hawaiian community), I wrote the cover story Setting Sail on Hokulea’s Worldwide Voyage, Bla Pahinui reflects on his musical journey and Remembering Kenneth Brown, visionary leader for the Polynesian Voyaging Society.
Volunteer contributor for oral history book projects including: A story on my maternal grandfather, Molokai Pioneer and Humanitarian: Yun Kee Yuen, in the book “Chinese Pioneer Families of Maui, Molokai and Lanai,” University of Hawaii Press and “Reflections of Seattle’s Chinese Americans: The First 100 Years,” University of Washington Press and Wing Luke Asian Museum.
FREELANCE PHOTOGRAPHER
NPR, Los Angeles Times, NBCNews.com, PRI’s “The World, VOA and Honolulu Magazine.
EDUCATION
University of California, Santa Cruz, B.A. in Sociology, also studied Communications.
University of California, Berkeley, Graduate School of Journalism (Continuing Ed.).
Pacific New Media, University of Hawaii, studied photography and web design.
CURRENT & PAST AFFILIATIONS
Asian American Journalists Association, Association of Independents in Radio, Society of Professional Journalists, SAG – AFTRA, PRX, Knight Digital Media Center, Maynard Institute and the East-West Center.
