Coral Garnick is not new to the Seattle media scene, but she has recently taken on a new role as the Puget Sound Business Journal’s (PSBJ) healthcare and retail reporter.
The Fearey Group had a chance to catch up with Coral and see how the new gig was going.
Tell us about your current position at the PSBJ. How is it different from The Seattle Times?
At The Seattle Times, I wore a few different hats. I was a business reporter four days a week and metro on Saturdays. In business, I was pretty much general assignment, which was great because I was new to business reporting and it really helped me get to know the industry. At the PSBJ, I am the health care and retail reporter, which means I have the opportunity to sink my teeth into a beat and really own it. I’m excited about that.
What types of stories can we expect to see from you this year?
One thing I am really excited about is a new feature I’m starting called “People in Research.” We have so many amazing researchers in Seattle at The Hutch, UW, Seattle Children’s and everywhere else. Each week, I will be introducing our readers to a different researcher who is working on cancer treatments, or curing HIV, or developing great new medical technologies.
What interests you most about healthcare? What about retail?
Covering healthcare as a business reporter really intrigues me. I covered healthcare from a consumer/patient perspective in grad school and really enjoyed it, so I’m excited to see what sort of stories I can dig up on the business side of things. On the retail front, we have so much going on here with Nordstrom, Costco, Starbucks…the list could just keep going. What wouldn’t interest you about covering those companies?
How did you get started as a journalist? Did you always know that was what you wanted to do?
I decided I wanted to get into journalism when I was in 7th grade. It was solidified the following year. I grew up in a tiny little town in Southeast Alaska and we had different teachers most years that came from other parts of the country to teach for a year in rural Alaska. In 7th grade, my teacher thought it would be a good idea to do a newsletter for our town. I had no idea what I was doing, but had a lot of fun putting it together every month. The teacher the following year taught us the fundamentals of writing journalistically and I loved it.
What do you like most about the profession?
I love meeting new people and learning their stories. You never know what people will share with you.
How did you end up in Seattle?
I went to undergrad in Bellingham and knew that Seattle was where I wanted to end up. I am a Pacific Northwest gal to the core. I love the culture and the people here – and it is close enough to home that I get to see family a lot more often than if I was on the East Coast.
What is your favorite thing to do outside of the office?
I don’t do it enough, but one of my all-time favorite things is to have bonfires. But, on a more regular basis, I run and hike.
Best coffee in Seattle?
Oddly enough, I am a reporter that doesn’t drink a lot of coffee. When I do drink it, the coffee taste has to be covered up with a lot of sugar. I usually go with chai – my favorite is Orca Chai, which tastes like Christmas.
For more on Coral, check out her first article for the PSBJ. You can also follow her latest news and updates here.