top of page
All Articles


Winemaker Maggie Harrison Shows that Oregon's White Oaks don't need to be Sacrificed to Make Stellar Wine
{I wrote this piece for Tyee's new "What Works" column.} Maggie Harrison would often stop at her fenceline in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, fantasizing about buying a few acres of property next door. A winemaker originally from California, Harrison purchased a 40-acre hillside property outside Salem, Oregon, that eventually became Antica Terra, a winery that today sells 36,000 bottles per year and has fans in LeBron James and Pink . From the beginning, she farmed the land orga
Oct 297 min read


Dry Drinking
I wrote this story about three female founders of NA beverage companies for Oregon Business Magazine. When Marla and Liam Hoban were living in a small German village outside of Nuremberg, they noticed something curious at the local gasthaus. “Nonalcoholic beer was presented just like regular beer. It was served in a nice big glass,” Marla says. “What was fascinating to us was seeing folks seamlessly switch between alcoholic and nonalcoholic. You’d be at a table of people, an
Oct 229 min read


The Doctor is Out
I wrote this feature about the primary care doctor shortage for the fall 2025 issue of Oregon Business Magazine. The number of primary care providers in Oregon is flatlining — especially in rural areas. But experts say the problem is curable. Two years ago Connie Cloyed was living in Corbett when she finally found a primary care physician she liked who was covered by United Healthcare. Cloyed, who is almost 70, had been on Medicare a few years at that point and had changed i
Oct 1612 min read


How Books Not Troops are Reviving Central Portland
Amid false narratives of urban collapse, the homegrown nonprofit Literary Arts is investing in Portland’s renaissance, one book at a time. I wrote this article for Fast Company on Oct. 9th, 2025. The bookstore cafe at Literary Arts’ new headquarters in Portland, Oregon was a hive of activity on a recent weekday morning. A few 20-somethings gathered for coffee in a corner, while at a nearby table, New Yorker cartoonist Tom Toro discussed his new book, And to Think we Starte
Oct 167 min read


What’s at Stake for School Food-Literacy Programs
SNAP-Ed will be terminated in October, adding to federal cuts that are impacting national efforts to curb obesity and instill better...
Sep 199 min read


How Revino is Reshaping the use of Wine Bottles—and the Oregon Wine Industry
Dozens of Oregon wineries are bottling their wines in Revino’s signature glass containers, which can be used up to 50 times. I wrote this...
Aug 128 min read


The Interview: Michael Curry
Michael Curry (PNCA class of ’81) is best known for his work designing the masks and puppets for The Lion King, in collaboration with...
Jul 211 min read


Border Land: the Columbia Gorge's Budding Wine Scene
My story on the Columbia Gorge's buzzing wine scene is in the July/Aug. issue of Condé Nast Traveler . Magazine space being what it is...
Jul 86 min read


How One Portland Neighborhood Partnered with a Homeless Encampment
I wrote this essay about my experience co-founding and running the Sunnyside Shower Project for Portland Monthly's fall 2023 issue. ...
Mar 214 min read


How Portland's PDX Airport became the Country's Best by Going Local
The Port of Portland created a showstopping destination in the Portland International Airport by embracing all things Pacific Northwest....
Mar 173 min read


The Hunter: Billie Ritchey
I did this interview with hunter/outdoorsman Billie Ritchey for Portland Monthly in 2019. I met Ritchey through our friend Wendy Temko,...
Feb 174 min read


How to Reach Across a Divide With Curiosity Instead of Hate
Earlier in January, I interviewed Mónica Guzmán for Reasons to be Cheerful to ask her how opposing beliefs can connect and find common...
Jan 318 min read


This Portland psilocybin clinic is designed to take magic mushroom therapy mainstream
The founders of InnerTrek are lighting the path for psychedelic therapy in Oregon and beyond. This story appeared in Fast Co. in March,...
Oct 23, 202410 min read


Weathering Climate Shocks: How Restaurants Survive Supply Disruptions
To overcome ingredient shortages and high food costs, some restaurateurs are rethinking their staple ingredients and strengthening their...
Oct 1, 202410 min read


All Aboard the Electric School Bus!
This story ran on Reasons to be Cheerful September 16, 2024. A cross the country, fall is synonymous with the new school year: sharpened...
Sep 16, 20247 min read


The Maker Space Where Members Are More Than Their Pasts
This article on Past Lives in Portland, Oregon appeared in Reasons to be Cheerful on July 23rd. When Brandon Morlock was released from...
Aug 17, 20246 min read


Sunnyside Shower Project for Portlanders living on the street
In early May, 2024, I was interviewed by Dave Miller on Think Out Loud (a show on Oregon Public Broadcasting) about the Sunnyside Shower...
Aug 16, 20241 min read


Climate-friendly wine: Four tips for sustainable drinking
If you’re concerned about the climate crisis and you drink wine, there are some things you need to know. Curl up with a glass and read...
Aug 16, 20248 min read


Bicycles used to be Made in the U.S.A.—a New Bill Aims to Bring them Back
Oregon Congressman Earl Blumenauer talks about his push for American-made bicycles and the power of bikes to make cities more livable. I...
Aug 16, 20247 min read


Could You Transform Your Yard into a Flourishing Wildlife Haven?
Through Backyard Habitat Certification, individuals strive to make even the smallest outdoor spaces more biodiverse. Those changes add...
Apr 25, 20245 min read
bottom of page

