About Jake

I'm an award-winning Independent Journalist and instructor.
I tell stories and teach how good stories are told.

Radio / Podcast

I have loads of industry experience having been an Independent audio producer since 2001...back when we called it radio. 
My work has aired on NPR's All Things Considered, Weekend Edition, PRI's The World, America abroad, This American Life and many many more.

Instructor

Former Lecturer at the Stanford Storytelling Project teaching documentary courses and supervised summer travel grants program, Managing editor of longest running radio/podcast series on campus.
And Climate Change Communication courses (Hist. dept Stanford, Comm dept UW)

Photography

I also take pictures.
Stumbled through well over 50 countries shooting for reportage or shamelessly for tourism campaigns.​

SAMPLE BROADCAST WORK

Broadcast Intros (30sec)
Clips of Broadcast Work (4min)
Facebook Complaints Are A New Kind Of 911 Call In The Platform's Hometown. 
Menlo Park, California was a pretty sleepy bedroom community until Facebook came to town. One thing the social media giant has brought to Menlo Park is complaints from all over the world.

Heard on Weekend Edition Sunday
Mixing Past And Present In Papua New Guinea. 
"...once I stepped off the plane, I entered a land that was wrestling with its past and its present."

Heard on NPR's All Things Considered

A video version of the same story HERE
Chasing Ghosts
I was invited to spend the night in a cabin, deep in the woods with a group of ghost hunters.

Heard on This American Life
Has Morocco's 'Family Code' shown how gender equality can coexist with Islam in the courts?

My second Clarion Award winning story

Heard on PRI's America Abroad
The Vatican is Pretty Trippy
"When you enter the Basilica of St. Peter's in the Vatican, it's hard not to look up. The whole design directs your gaze to the ceilings — you're basically staring at the promise of heaven. I made it only as far as the portico, or entrance door, before tripping on the unevenly worn floor..."

Heard on PRI's The World
Soldiers' Soundtrack to War
Week-long series from my embed tour to Iraq
We're bringing you a look at the music US soldiers are listening to in Iraq on their iPods or personal music players.

Heard on PRI's The World
​Complete series HERE
The Things They Carry: U.S. Soldiers in Afghanistan
A series asking U.S. soldiers serving in Afghanistan what they have to carry around with them every day—from the physical to the emotional. Inspired by Tim O'Brian's book.

Heard on PRI's The World
​Complete series HERE