Hometown: Arlington, Wisconsin

High School: Poynette High School (Wisconsin)

College: University of Wisconsin-Madison

Other Journalism Experience: Intern at WKOW-TV

Started at Channel 3 on: June 14, 2004

Q: What is your favorite part about living in Madison?
A: It’s a beautiful city, and there’s always something to do—whether it’s a farmers market, a winter festival, or just sitting at the terrace. You can never be bored!

Q: What is the biggest news story that you've covered?
A: The Weston School Shooting

Q: What do you like to do in your spare time?
A: I love to run and am trying out some long-distance races, am an avid scrapbooker, love trying new restaurants and watching live music!

Q: What is your family life like? Significant other, married, children?
A: I’ve been married to a great guy named Brad since 2005. Both of our families are nearby as well so we love spending time with them.

Q: What is your favorite kind of ice cream?
A: Cookies and Cream

Q: What is your favorite place to vacation?
A: I love traveling in general and like to go somewhere new each time—but my favorite place I’ve been on vacation is Maui.

Q: Who is your hero and why?
A: I have looked up to Barbara Walters since I was a kid—she was one of the first women to break the glass ceiling in broadcast journalism, and she’s gotten to interview some incredible people!

Q: What was your favorite band when you were in high school?
A: Incubus

Q: What is your favorite sport to play or watch?
A: Play: Running. Watch: College Football.

Q: If you could possess one superhuman power, what would it be?
A: The ability to hear through walls

Q: What are you really bad at that you’d love to be great at?
A: Playing basketball! I love watching it, but have always been terrible.

Q: What is your most memorable travel experience?
A: It was actually in middle school—my family was at a state park in Kentucky when I ate a chef salad and a hard boiled egg got stuck in my throat. We had to drive like 20 miles into a city to get it removed, and as we got to the hospital, my motion sickness removed it for me…

Q: What is the worst job you have ever had?
A: The entire job wasn’t bad—but I had to wash alfalfa harvesters at Pioneer Alfalfa Research in Arlington as part of my job throughout high school. It was so dirty I had to wear a plastic suit to do it.

Q: Who would you most like to interview alive or dead, and why?
A: This is a tough one for me, because I really feel everyone has a story. But If I had to choose, I would say Dr. Martin Luther King. Such a meaningful figure to so many people and I’d love to know his thoughts on our world today. And the music fan in me would like to interview Dave Matthews or Bruce Springsteen.

Q: What is your favorite tradition around the holidays?
A: Going to church and opening gifts with my family on Christmas Eve

Q: What is your favorite song of all time?
A: “Crash” by the Dave Matthews Band

Q: What is your favorite movie of all time?
A: “Almost Famous”

Q: What is your favorite book of all time?
A: "Eat, Pray, Love” by Elizabeth Gilbert

Q: What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?
A: It’s not a piece of advice but something I learned from showing cattle for years growing up. Keep your head up, smile, and even if you get knocked around, stay with it till its over and you’re a winner no matter what.

Q: If you could relive any moment, what would that be?
A: My entire wedding day!

Q: Where were you when Sept. 11, 2001 occurred?
A: I was in college at the time. I was actually eating breakfast in Gordon Commons and watched the 2nd plane hit the towers on the TV there. I went to my first class and many students didn’t know what had happened.

E-mail Jessica at jarp@wisctv.com.