My favorite stories to tell are those about inspirational people doing amazing things. I like the kind of interview that sends chills down my spine because I’m being exposed to greatness or am learning something new.

I’ve been a journalist for more than 15 years, starting as a reporter at the Des Moines Register. My best stories were about resilience – the little boy who danced in the wreckage of his tornado-ravaged house because he was able to see his parents again, or the woman who thought her husband was going to die from a terminal illness only to discover later that he would live. After that reporting gig, I held various roles in editing until I went to Stanford in 2018 for the John S. Knight Journalism fellowship. While there, I immersed myself in the world of innovation and entrepreneurship and when I left, started my own company teaching others how to be innovative. Like many first businesses, I learned a lot but ultimately failed. After a good bit of soul searching, I found my way back to reporting and writing and started freelancing for dsm magazine and the Business Record. I started at the Business Record full time in late February of 2025 covering innovation and entrepreneurship, insurance, health care and food insecurity.

In my spare time, I like to cook elaborate meals with my family, run on the trails around Des Moines and watch and perform improv and standup comedy. I’m always looking for a new challenge.

If you have a story idea for me, feedback, or a joke, email me at lisarossi@bpcdm.com or call me at (515) 288-3413.