SO YOU CAN BE HEARD.

I fiercely believe it is the inherent responsibility of journalists to value the critical role we play in the community: to report the news providing context and understanding, to seek ways to be of service and improve our community, and to highlight and celebrate those people and places that make any neighborhood special. For those reasons, I believe being a board member of RTDNA would allow me to help to shape, encourage, and enhance the current and future state of journalism and those who have taken on the profession.

For the past 24 years, I have had the privilege to work in my hometown of Orlando alongside some of the most talented and passionate people in the television industry. Beginning in 1994 as an intern at WKMG, then WCPX, I was a ‘local’ young woman who knew ‘local’ television could make a difference in my community. 

From intern I became an assignment editor and connected regularly with that community, often taking calls from people who felt they had no power and needed help. From 1997 until 2015, I produced newscasts, specials, and investigative pieces which had direct impacts on those who watched, listened and engaged with us. It continued to build upon my faith and bedrock belief that journalists must have an unwavering commitment to local news coverage and understand its impact on their surrounding communities. And in Central Florida, by their very nature, those communities are each unique and special. 

In 2015, I took that understanding and commitment a step further by accepting the leadership role of News Director at WKMG. It has been a fulfilling, challenging, and amazing opportunity in which I have worked with my team to define who we are at WKMG, as journalists, community members, and neighbors. 

We are committed to bringing our viewers breaking news and weather that affect them. In September 2017, our communities were impacted by Hurricane Irma. Before the powerful storm even made landfall, the News 6 weather team tracked 51 tornadoes warning neighborhoods and helping save lives. Throughout the year, News 6’s “Driving Change” initiative broke barriers in the legislature almost certainly ensuring legislation to deter distracted driving and bringing Florida up to par with dozens of other states in the nation.

At News 6, I believe we must dig deeper, hold the powerful accountable, give voice to the voiceless, provide actionable solutions and make a measurable difference to our community. But we must not be remiss and think that news is just headlines and breaking stories. It is finding ways to see the impact those headlines have on our community and find ways to solve problems facing our communities. For example, under my leadership, News 6 partnered with organizations to raise more than one million dollars for school children in need of supplies and clothes, $150,000 for domestic violence survivors, guaranteed Christmas presents were under the tree for more than five thousand children in Central Florida, and inoculated more than 30,000 Central Floridians against the deadly flu virus. And not every story starts with a problem. I believe journalists should be dedicated to finding ways to highlight and celebrate those in each neighborhood who are making a difference.

As the News Director at WKMG, I embrace and embody the beliefs, values and guiding principles espoused by our namesake and North Star Katharine Meyer Graham. As a Graham Media Group station, we inherently have strong roots in solid journalism and service to community, but the legacy name granted to our Orlando station inspires me to push our entire team every day to go above and beyond no matter the venue; be it breaking news coverage, community partnerships, or the simple station visit by a local school.

I believe strong journalism is the foundation of our democracy; as valued and viable as ever, and maybe even more so today. It is of the utmost importance that we inspire the current and next generation to ask questions, demand answers, stand up to those who may take advantage of power. I want to do whatever I can to ensure the future of honest, powerful storytelling and reporting.