Hometown
Cortland, Ohio… although I now consider southwest Wisconsin my home.
Years at station
6 years! I started on Sept. 17, 2003.
Other professional experience
If you don't count the two other positions I've held at the station (I was a general assignment reporter at NBC 15 from September 2003-July 2004 and then took a seat at the anchor desk as weekend anchor for 6 months), I moved to Madison from Ohio, where I spent four years as a reporter, anchor, producer, and sometimes photographer and editor for WOUB-TV in Athens, OH. I also worked at The Government Channel in Athens where I hosted election shows and covered city government news. And I spent a short time working in Charleston, West Virginia at WCHS-TV.
Awards/Recognitions you have received
2009 -- EMMY winner for "Power to Forgive" - a story about a women's ability to forgive and even love the two men who shot her in the head and left her to die.
2009 -- Midwest Emmy Nomination for "A Mother's Mission" - a story about a little girl who receives hyperbaric oxygen therapy to treat a genetic disorder that causes developmental delays.
2008 -- Madison's Best Local Television Broadcaster from the Madison.com Readers' Choice Awards
2008 -- Best Live On-Scene Reporting from the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association for "Lake Delton Aftermath".
2008 -- Midwest Emmy Nomination for “Miracle of Medicine” - a story about one man’s battle to save his own life and the unlikely difference maker: the blood of a baby girl.
2007 -- Outstanding Media Partner from the National MS Society Wisconsin Chapter
2006 – Midwest Emmy Nomination for “More Than Meets the Eye” - a two-part series on two men leading seemingly normal lives with extraordinary abilities to help/influence others.
2005 – Associated Press First Place Award for “Inside Firehouse One,” an hour long documentary capturing a day in the life of a Madison firefighter working at station #1.
2005 – Wisconsin Broadcasters Association Merit Award for “Inside Firehouse One”.
2005 – Wisconsin Broadcasters Association Best Hard News Story of 2005 for “Camp Shelby,” a story on the sendoff of nearly 700 Wisconsin Army National Guard members, who made up the first combat deployment of Wisconsin Army Guard forces since World War II. We traveled to Mississippi for the sendoff.
As a senior in college, I won the highest Scripps School of Journalism award and scholarship for excellence in journalism.
Education
I graduated from the Scripps School of Journalism at Ohio University with a major in Broadcast-Journalism and a minor in French. I also spent 3 months studying in Tours, France at the Institut de Touraine. I started studying journalism at Northwestern University through its Radio, TV and Film program as a high school senior.
Hobbies and/or interests
I love outdoor activities, but spend most of my time running and/or riding my road bike. I also enjoy skiing, hiking and white water rafting. In my free time I enjoy reading, playing the piano and watching movies. And even in Packers country, I’m not afraid to admit that I am a Cleveland Browns fan!
Community Involvement
I am an active volunteer with the Wisconsin Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. I help with the MS Walk, MS Luncheon in Madison and MS 150 Bike Tour, which goes from Waukesha to Whitewater to Madison in 2 days (and it's great fun!). I am on the Madison Ballet Board of Directors and am a member of the Family Connections of Wisconsin Advisory Board. I also volunteer for the Madison Area Down Syndrome Society and the United Way. During the summer, you can find me at area Relay for Life events, festivals and parades and when I'm lucky, judging food contests!
What are your favorite books?
I've read a number of good books lately: Firefly Lane, Bravehearts and The Exorcist (yes, I know... it's creepy but very well written). Also high on the list are Loving Frank and The Secret Garden.
What is your favorite movie?
I have two new additions to my list: Slumdog Millionaire and The Reader. I also love Shakespeare in Love, The Notebook, The Sound of Music and The Departed.
Describe your most interesting assignment?
I find enjoyment in many stories I work on, but there are a few in particular that stick out in my mind. My two favorite annual assignments are surprising area teachers with the Crystal Apple Award every May and covering the latest news related to Multiple Sclerosis and the impact the disease has on area families every July.
One of my most interesting/memorable stories focused on forgiveness. I interviewed Jackie Millar, who was shot in the back of the head by two teenagers and left to die. Now 13 years later, she visits both men in prison, hugs them and even tells them that she loves them. She is an inspiring story of choices, forgiveness and love.
Another story that really sticks out in my mind focused on a lodge in the Northwoods that caters to families with terminally sick children or those that have recently lost a child. It is a place for families to grieve and also a place for them to make new memories. I interviewed a Wisconsin family that so bravely told the story of their second son, who was a stillbirth. Their story impacted so many area families. I was proud to have played a small role in making that happen.
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