I can’t believe it’s been 20 years, but that’s how long I’ve been working in journalism. I started professionally as the editor of my hometown weekly newspaper after I graduated college, and the journey since then has been bumpy but fun.
The last chunk of my career has been devoted to social media journalism. I was the social media producer at NJ.com for three years, where I managed all the accounts while creating a community around them. Some of the most fulfilling work was during Hurricane Sandy when I spent hours linking people with the information they needed by answering questions and crowdsourcing for answers if I didn’t have them.
Most recently, I spent four years at Storyful where we were on the front lines of the battle against so-called fake news while working with some of the biggest newsrooms around the globe. I verified social media content during breaking news and uncovered the next big social media news story before it started trending (I knew Fiona the hippo would be a big story when I saw the press release about her premature birth). I debunked fake content from people who were trying to fool everyone and tracked down newsmakers’ social footprints. It was a new, fun kind of journalism, though I’ve never used the words “vicarious trauma” more in my life.
My first love was and always will be local news. I covered Westport, Connecticut, first for The Hour (when it was still independent) and then for WestportNow.com, one of the original so-called “hyperlocal” news websites. I was one of the first editors at Patch, spending years covering Millburn, New Jersey. Building something from scratch into an important community resource was fulfilling and fun.
I’ll always be an advocate for local journalism because these are where some of the most important stories are reported. And it’s dying right in front of us. Subscribe to your local news source whether it’s online or in print to show your support for this kind of work, which is some of the hardest work any journalist can do.
Journalism has dominated my life, but I’m more than that. I’m a photographer (I miss the dark room, to be honest) and writer of all sorts. I like to create characters and worlds, but I also like to tell my own stories in essays. I read. A lot. You can’t be a good writer without being well read, plus it’s a way to escape from the trials of life.
I also try to find ways to lend my voice as a mental health advocate, a topic that has touched my life in so many ways. We need to fight stigmas and remember you have no health without your mental health.
I’ve been a Mets fan most of my life (thanks, Mom) and won’t ever give up on them, I don’t care how bad it looks. I feel the same way about the New York Rangers, but the Mets were my first real sports love.
If my life had a soundtrack, it would be full of Foo Fighters songs. This band has been there in some really tough times and has given me such joy over the years.
Want to chat? You can email me or follow me on Twitter.
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