Five Minutes With Katlyn Moncada.
Katlyn Moncada — Food Editor, Better Homes & Gardens
Tell us about your current occupation and how you landed such a fabulous job.
I am the food editor for Better Homes & Gardens. In 2019 I started as the associate digital food editor and recently moved over to the print team. I actually landed at Dotdash Meredith thanks to a recruiter reaching out via LinkedIn! I never imagined this would be my introduction to my dream job, but when "food editor" for a major brand lands in your DMs, a reply must follow. I got the job, moved to Des Moines from St. Louis, and have been living the dream in this delicious food world ever since.
2. What's your best advice for PR professionals?
I love a good story! I get that PR has a product/agenda to pitch, but I struggle to find a fit if I'm going to have to name-drop X brand in an inorganic or forced way. If you have a compelling angle that is fresh and new, a meaningful story, cultural hook, or studies/stats, I'm more likely to click through and consider. And while I love a newsy piece, if I can add an evergreen twist to the content, that's even better.
3. What's a fun fact about you?
Unless you see pics or knew me as a kid, you'd never believe my hair hasn't always been naturally curly. I actually had straight hair and it got curlier as I got older.
4. Tell us about your favorite nonprofit and why.
I'm going to go with Feeding America. Nearly 34 million Americans are food insecure, meaning there's no consistent access to food for everyone in the household to live an active, healthy life. Feeding America works with food banks, policymakers, and communities to ensure Americans can access nutritious food.
5. What's your favorite meal, movie, or vacation spot?
It's hard to pick a favorite meal being a food lover, but I'm going to go with a bowl of my paternal Lola's (grandma in Filipino) tangy chicken adobo with rice and finish with my maternal grandma's chocolate chip cookies.