Asia, Latin American traveler joins Chandler’s news services

Emily Murphy, pictured below, Chandler’s newest news services assistant, graduated from Arizona State University in 2003 with a degree in journalism. She and her husband Ryan have traveled extensively through Asia and Latin America. They also lived in Brisbane, Australia for eight months. Most recently, they visited Argentina, Nicaragua, El Salvador and Peru. While at ASU, Emily was editor of the State Press. Before arriving at INI, she worked as a travel writer for International Living magazine. Emily answered some questions about what she’s been up to and what she’s looking forward to.

Where you grew up: Milwaukee, Wisc.

What brought you to Arizona: I went to ASU.

Favorite place you’ve traveled to: Thailand. The culture is just completely different from here. The people are warm and welcoming. We went on an overnight rock climbing trip and camped on a bamboo raft.

Where you want to visit next: Alaska. There’s a lot of nature and culture in Alaska that’s American, but still foreign to me. It’s intriguing.

Favorite book: “Power of One” by Bryce Courtnay. It’s about a British boy who grows up in Africa during World War II- it’s historical fiction.

Writer you most admire: Jonathan Safran Foer. He’s young and innovative.

Why did you choose journalism: I felt like it was a way I could use writing to educate people on important issues.

Story you most want to investigate: Nationalization of natural resources in Latin America.

Another career you’ve considered: I’ve thought about teaching English as a second language and environmental engineering.

While at INI… I’m looking forward to improving my writing skills and getting better at self-management. I’m also excited about expanding my Photoshop skills.