Hello.
I’m a local journalist who’s passionate about building community through reporting and engagement. I’ve spent more than 20 years at Iowa newspapers, from small, rural weeklies, to large, fast-paced dailies. I’ve found creative ways to tackle local news challenges, and I’ve brought newsrooms along as the news industry — and our audience’s expectations — continue to evolve.
My journalism experience has included investigative reporting, video production, audio editing, as well as management roles that have given me the opportunity to mentor reporters and work together with them on projects. As a newsroom leader, I’ve helped inform and write strategic plans, and coordinated with other departments to develop innovative projects that address community needs while engaging with community partners to build financial support.
I spend a lot of time thinking, reading and talking about the news and looking for ways to scale new ideas to fit our newsroom. I like to experiment with new tools, audience engagement and workflows to find the right chemistry for our newsroom and our audience. I’m happiest when I’m learning new things, be it how to build a spreadsheet to analyze data, how to use Facebook groups to connect with people about the news, or how to collaborate with other journalists to tell more comprehensive stories.
I’m a lifelong Iowan who believes no matter a community’s size, it deserves quality news.