I teach the undergraduate Journalism: Practices and Principles course in FIMS and taught the Introduction to Journalism in the Master of Media in Journalism and Communications program for six years.
I began my teaching career in FIMS in 2007 as a lecturer in the former Masters of Arts in Journalism program. I also teach Writing for Publication and Sports Writing in English and Writing Studies in the Faculty of Arts and Humanities where I have taught a variety of courses in that department since 2002.
I have won the FIMS Dean’s Award of Excellence for Part-time Instructors five times (2022, 2020, 2018, 2015 and 2013). I’ve also been on the USC Teaching Excellence Award, Honor Roll seven times and was the Arts & Humanities nominee for the Angela Armitt Award for Excellence in Teaching by Part-time Faculty in 2017-18 and 2016-17.
My experience as a journalist includes being a reporter at the London Free Press from 1977-80 and as a freelancer for more than 80 publications from 1982-83 and 1989 to the present. As a communications specialist, I worked at the Addiction Research Foundation from 1983-86 and the Ontario Ministry of Education from 1986-89.
My most recent book is Al Christie: Hollywood's Forgotten Film Pioneer, which was published in the summer of 2023. I have been a contributing author to three books, most recently in 2017 with The Fur-Bearing Trout… and Other True Tales of Canadian Life and a co-author of 10 books, the most recent being As The Years Go by… Conversations with Canada’s Folk, Pop & Rock Pioneers, in 2017.
I sat as a faculty representative on The Gazette committee for several years, was the Limited Duties member of the FIMS MMJC Advisory Committee until 2023, and was a member of the FIMS Limited Duties Committee in 2016-17.
I graduated with an (Hon.) BA in Journalism from Western in 1977.