Insights from a Past Hill Reporter

Q&A with Lot Sixteen Vice President Geof Koss

Geof Koss, Lot Sixteen Vice President, Phish-lover and skateboarder, sat down with us to discuss insights as a past Hill reporter, how to disconnect and recharge from work, and advice for young professionals in Washington, D.C. 

Did you always like to write? 

I always recognized I was good at it. What’s funny is I started undergrad as a science major and was thinking about going to medical school. I took all my math and science classes but kept thinking, I have this marketable skill to understand things and write in layman’s terms. After undergrad, I chose to go to the University of Colorado, Boulder, and get my Master’s degree in journalism. 

Did you always have an interest in writing about Congress and current legislation? 

I am a history nerd. I love it. I also like process. You can do well for yourself with policy reporting. It’s not a fad beat. It’s a topic that will always have a reporting need, because a large audience is interested. Not only does the normal population want to know what’s going on on Capitol Hill, so do the people working in D.C.

You have decades of experience as a journalist, what made you want to make the jump to leave reporting? 

COVID. I absolutely loved being on the Hill. Every day was different and went by so quickly. It was crazy; you’d be in the nation’s capital talking to and seeing celebrities and famous people. Plus, I belonged. I knew everyone, and they knew me. But once COVID happened, there was a shift. You couldn’t talk to people face-to-face, couldn’t grab coffee, and it was the first time in my life that trying to complete a story became a drag. Capitol Hill was such a big part of my life, but I decided I needed to do something else. I knew Colin (Lot Sixteen co-founder) from his work in the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy & Natural Resources. I gave him a call to catch up, and next thing I knew I had an offer to come work at Lot Sixteen. Connections really do go a long way. 

Is there any advice you would give to young professionals starting their career in D.C.? 

My time as a journalist on the Hill taught me the importance of observation. I learned so much from simply being there and paying attention to what was going on around me. If I wanted a quote from a specific member of Congress, I would stand in the hallway, sit outside their office or wait for a hearing to be over, and just be there. It’s important to listen and observe. There’s power in observation – you can learn a lot.

How has skateboarding impacted your life?

I started skateboarding when I was around 12. It was the first thing I discovered on my own, and I was obsessed with it. When you’re a kid, you’re skating everywhere. But by the end of high school I had stopped skating because there wasn’t really anywhere to skate – there were no skateparks in those days, and you can only get kicked out of the mall parking lot so many times. Plus my friends and I started driving and discovered other things to do.  

Fast-forward to five years ago, a friend of mine gave me a board, and I started riding around my neighborhood. It felt so good to be back. It’s also weird because you’re a lot bigger than you were as a kid. You kind of have to reteach yourself how to skateboard. 

But it’s more fun now that I’m older. I’m a better skater than I was back then. I learned a whole new style of skating – carving in bowls. It’s also cool to me that I thought this thing I loved so much as a kid was gone, but in reality it never left. And it’s a huge part of my life today. 

What recharges you?

Hanging out with my kids, they’re 12 and 14. Traveling with them is also really fun. 

Also no surprise, skateboarding. It’s improved my mental and physical health, especially when dealing with professional burnout. The physical activity releases endorphins and adrenaline and leaves you with a natural high, like the feeling of peace you get after a yoga class.  

I also really value creativity. I like to build things out of wood or make mosaics with sea glass. I even built my coffee table! If you have an urge to be creative, don’t shut that part down. You don’t have to be a professional to make something beautiful or useful and have fun doing it.

Anything else to include?

I really like working at the Lot. When I worked on Capitol Hill and at E&E News, I loved the people. They were all smart, fun colleagues, which of course makes work enjoyable. I’m really glad to have that here.