Washington and Lee University
W&L Highlight: One of my favorite experiences at W&L was spending spring term in Senegal. I was a sophomore and it was my first time leaving North America. It was absolutely thrilling and eye-opening. Learning how others live around the globe helped me gain a better understanding of myself and sparked my love of traveling.
Most Memorable Class: Without a doubt, "Rockbridge Report" was truly the first time I felt the exhilaration of being a journalist getting to chase a story, working against a deadline and feeling that sense of completion from shooting and editing a piece. I still carry the lessons I learned in that class about what makes a good pitch and the elements of good storytelling.
Current Job: Digital Associate Producer for NBC News' Rock Center with Brian Williams
Current Life: I live in New York City and love it. I enjoy getting lost in movie theaters and museums. I also love that there's always a new corner of New York to discover and how so much diversity can be crammed into such a little place.
Latest Accomplishment: At work, my job is to help develop the digital strategy for how to present each Rock Center piece on the web - from web video pieces to text stories to the show's social media. One of the things I've been proudest to work on while at Rock Center was our show's breaking news coverage of the Penn State scandal.
Where I'll Be in Ten Years: I hope that I'll be working with video in some way telling stories about communities that have been and remain under-reported in our current media landscape. In the past few years since I've left W&L, I've learned you can never guess where you're going to be. What I've also learned is that if you work hard, stay prepared and agile, you will usually end up where you are meant to be.
Last Book Read: "The Pursuit of Happiness" by Douglas Kennedy
Last Movie Seen: Iron Lady (I love Meryl Streep!)
Hobby: I need one.
Favorite Quote: "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." Margaret Mead
Why I Do What I Do: I do what I do because I think it's important for people to be informed. In a world where we're overwhelmed with information, the need for good reporting is crucial. I believe
there's a way to make any piece of news relatable and though that may be difficult, it's what good journalism should do. I also can't imagine doing anything else.