I’ve enjoyed writing for as long as I can remember. I officially declared my desire to be a writer (what exactly that means has morphed many times) in the fourth grade. I made a career-day poster that showed a grown up version of myself holding a briefcase and a pen. While I don’t carry a briefcase and find myself utilizing a keyboard far more often than a pen, what I created almost 18 years ago (my mother has saved this gem) remains a testament to my love of storytelling.

After working on my high school newspaper and yearbook, I went to the University of Colorado at Boulder for a bachelor’s in news-editorial. I dabbled in the book publishing world for a year before I started working in the communications department at a nonprofit. Just three years out of college, I realized that being able to write wasn’t going to cut it professionally. Although I loved (and still do) the tangible, tactile nature of print publications, magazines and books in particular, the relevance and utility of digital media had become undeniable. To bring myself up to speed, I completed a master’s in interactive journalism at American University, graduating in May 2012. I worked at the Kogod School of Business at AU as the web content coordinator during most of the program, an opportunity that allowed me to utilize the skills I was learning in the classroom in my daily work. All in all, it was a great experience that imparted a great deal more than just a new skill set. Where I used to tread lightly — new media, blogging, mobile — I now dive into with enthusiasm each day. I can happily say that I don’t fear the journalism of the future, but stand ready to embrace it, whatever it may be.

I’ve lived in Washington, D.C., for close to five years. I was born in Indiana, Pa., but spent most of my formative years in Portland, Ore. I’ve also lived abroad in Riga, Latvia, and Cairo, Egypt, visiting many countries in Europe and the Middle East on both trips. My passion for travel is second only to my passion for journalism. I’m also interested in health and fitness, photography, social media, higher education, fashion, wine and books. I currently work at the American Association of Community Colleges as the internet content editor, managing the association’s website, writing and editing web content, producing video and multimedia and contributing to social media channels.