Columbia University - Graduate School of Journalism

Macalester College

University of Cambridge

Technology reporter at The Washington Post

Self-employed

Journalist and author

Technology reporter, covering Amazon, Microsoft and the Pacific Northwest. Exposed high rates of serious injury at Amazon warehouses through an original analysis of government data. Revealed internal fights by Amazon workers, pressing separately to reduce its carbon emissions and address systemic discrimination and sexual harassment. Disclosed concerns among U.S. Postal Service executives, expressed in internal memos, that President Donald Trump’s demands to raise rates it charges Amazon would send the e-commerce giant to rivals and cripple the mail service on which many Americans depend.

The Washington Post

Technology reporter

Technology reporter, responsible for covering Microsoft, Oracle, and cloud-computing businesses such as Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure and Google Cloud Platform. Examined the culture change at Microsoft that put the company on a path to escape the decline of its legacy business and emerge as a leader in the new cloud-computing era. Revealed Walmart pressuring vendors to use alternatives to the cloud-computing service from arch-rival Amazon.

The Wall Street Journal

Reporter

Covered Amazon's push into digital media, as the company spent lavishly creating television programming and video games to lure new customers. Chronicled Amazon's device strategy as the company rolled out tablets, a mobile phone and a set-top box to better compete against Apple and Google. Examined Amazon's book strategy that led to animosity with publishers and authors.

The Seattle Times

Business Reporter

Investigative reporter for CNET, a unit of CBS Interactive. Traveled to China to write a series about the life cycle of an iPhone, detailing factory worker concerns and tracking down a chop shop where devices are primitively dismantled. The series won a Best in Business Award for explanatory journalism from the Society of American Business Editors and Writers, and was named an Official Honoree in The 17th Annual Webby Awards in the Best Writing (Editorial) category. Revealed corporate infighting at Microsoft over the cancelation of its innovative Courier tablet computer before the device emerged. Examined the burgeoning patent and antitrust woes confronting Google.

CBS Interactive

Senior writer

Wrote a book (Penguin/Portfolio, July 2010) that examines the innovation process at such successful companies as Virgin Atlantic, Nike and Lego to show that design isn’t merely about style and form. It’s about the way products and services work. The smartest companies place a premium on design because it helps them intuit what customers want often before customers even know they want it. The book has been translated and published in Chinese (China Citic Press), Thai (Matichon) and Vietnamese (Tre Publishing).

Penguin Group USA

Author, Design Is How It Works: How the Smartest Companies Turn Products into Icons

Opened and managed the Seattle bureau. Chronicled Microsoft’s transition from vibrant powerhouse to bureaucratic giant. Helped develop innovation and design coverage, examining the creative processes at such companies as Nike and Bang & Olufsen.

BusinessWeek

Seattle bureau chief

Wrote a four-part series about the rationale and repercussions of the software giant’s cable investments in Europe. Covered the antitrust trial. Broke a story about temporary worker contracting that led a judge to rebuke the company and the company to change the policy.

Microsoft reporter

Led a team on an award-winning series about the business of gathering and selling personal information. Broke a story about an HMO discouraging chicken pox vaccinations that led the company to change its policy and its chief regulator to sanction the company.

Jay Greene