I like clean designs with modern shapes and fresh and flawless layouts. Effective use of white space is a must!
After growing up in Tififn, Ohio, a small, Midwest town, I moved to Columbus to get my degree in ... biology. Yes, that's right. I fell into journalism by accident when I volunteered for the student university newspaper. I couldn't leave my love for science completely behind and went on to graduate with a major in bio and a minor in journalism.
From there, I moved to the wild and wonderful Huntington, W.Va., where I got my master's in journalism from Marshall University. I got my first job in newspapers on the copy desk at The Herald-Dispatch, where I learned the nitty-gritty of the industry at a medium-sized paper with a great, dedicated staff. On the universal desk, I designed for all sections of the papers, as well as special publications and our Tri-State Family Magazine, while winning several awards.
After getting my feet wet, I packed up and moved to York, Pa., where I worked on the York Daily Record/Sunday News night desk/design center designing a range of pages for four regional newspapers, regional weeklies and our bimonthly women's magazine. As a newspaper that's a leader in digital media, I've learned to use my online voice to engage readers with social media and what "digital first" truly means.
From York, I moved a bit north to Pennsylvania's capital and Harrisburg's PennLive/The Patriot-News. The three-day newspaper, which had a circulation of about 120,000, covers seven counties and demanded the highest quality work and innovative designs. I utilized a wide range of Photoshop, Illustrator and Indesign skills and was challenged on a daily basis to look at things from a different angle. Front page designs don't have to be saved for just the front page anymore. After a year in, I took on the role of leading the features sections in print. I was responsible for them from start to finish. From concept to completion, I curated, developed story ideas, edited, wrote and designed the entire sections.
After The Patriot-News, I found a home in Lancaster County at LNP | LancasterOnline, a digital and print media company with a daily newspaper circulation of about 79,000 in beautiful farm country. I began as a copy editor/page designer, but soon filled the role of A1 editor. After a year in that role, I took over the visual editor position. I lead a staff of 8 extremely talented and dedicated photo journalists and graphic designers. My days are as diverse as my role here at LNP | LancasterOnline. One day might be spent designing a Sunday centerpiece or helping develop a project visually, while another could be spent coaching a graphic designer through an Election Day infographic or working with IT to upgrade our photo archiving process.
While working in newspapers comes with its own set of challenges, it also comes with its own set of rewards. At very few jobs do you feel the sense of accomplishment at the end of the day like you do in journalism, holding your latest creation in your hand, knowing thousands of people are reading and looking at what you produced. It's fast-paced and highly stressful, but most days, I wouldn't have it any other way.
After growing up in Tififn, Ohio, a small, Midwest town, I moved to Columbus to get my degree in ... biology. Yes, that's right. I fell into journalism by accident when I volunteered for the student university newspaper. I couldn't leave my love for science completely behind and went on to graduate with a major in bio and a minor in journalism.
From there, I moved to the wild and wonderful Huntington, W.Va., where I got my master's in journalism from Marshall University. I got my first job in newspapers on the copy desk at The Herald-Dispatch, where I learned the nitty-gritty of the industry at a medium-sized paper with a great, dedicated staff. On the universal desk, I designed for all sections of the papers, as well as special publications and our Tri-State Family Magazine, while winning several awards.
After getting my feet wet, I packed up and moved to York, Pa., where I worked on the York Daily Record/Sunday News night desk/design center designing a range of pages for four regional newspapers, regional weeklies and our bimonthly women's magazine. As a newspaper that's a leader in digital media, I've learned to use my online voice to engage readers with social media and what "digital first" truly means.
From York, I moved a bit north to Pennsylvania's capital and Harrisburg's PennLive/The Patriot-News. The three-day newspaper, which had a circulation of about 120,000, covers seven counties and demanded the highest quality work and innovative designs. I utilized a wide range of Photoshop, Illustrator and Indesign skills and was challenged on a daily basis to look at things from a different angle. Front page designs don't have to be saved for just the front page anymore. After a year in, I took on the role of leading the features sections in print. I was responsible for them from start to finish. From concept to completion, I curated, developed story ideas, edited, wrote and designed the entire sections.
After The Patriot-News, I found a home in Lancaster County at LNP | LancasterOnline, a digital and print media company with a daily newspaper circulation of about 79,000 in beautiful farm country. I began as a copy editor/page designer, but soon filled the role of A1 editor. After a year in that role, I took over the visual editor position. I lead a staff of 8 extremely talented and dedicated photo journalists and graphic designers. My days are as diverse as my role here at LNP | LancasterOnline. One day might be spent designing a Sunday centerpiece or helping develop a project visually, while another could be spent coaching a graphic designer through an Election Day infographic or working with IT to upgrade our photo archiving process.
While working in newspapers comes with its own set of challenges, it also comes with its own set of rewards. At very few jobs do you feel the sense of accomplishment at the end of the day like you do in journalism, holding your latest creation in your hand, knowing thousands of people are reading and looking at what you produced. It's fast-paced and highly stressful, but most days, I wouldn't have it any other way.