Writing
I find the human story within complex organizations and turn information, experiences and ideas into clear, compelling narratives. My work spans human-interest features, marketing content, internal communications and mission-driven storytelling created to inform, connect and inspire action.
Recent Projects
Bound by Love and Tragedy, Graduates Lean on Each Other
Audience: Prospective and current students, employees and community members
This was one of the most challenging stories of my career. It featured two culinary arts students who each lost a daughter during the first semester of their final year, one to cancer and the other in a school shooting.
I approached their stories with empathy and care, balancing the need for a complete narrative with my responsibility to honor the trust they placed in me. As with all of my stories, each student reviewed the article for factual accuracy before publication. Neither requested a single change.
The resulting story highlighted friendship, resilience, and the power of community while earning coverage from the St. Louis region's leading news radio station.
View story here.
Commencement Speaker Finds Purpose to Give Back to Neighborhood
Audience: Prospective students, current students, employees and the St. Louis community
This story highlighted the second, and sometimes third or fourth, chances community colleges provide their students. I identified an opportunity to tell the story of a student who barely graduated from high school but finished near the top of his graduating class at St. Louis Community College. His journey offered a powerful example of how education can provide a new path forward.
I spent nearly an hour interviewing the student and also spoke with his father and others to develop a fuller picture of his experiences and accomplishments. The story balanced an emotionally compelling personal narrative with the College’s broader message about opportunity, student support and the transformative power of education.
The story earned a regional award and generated multiple earned media placements.
From Challenge to Calling: A First-Generation Success Story
Audience: Prospective students and current students
This story combined a compelling narrative about a student overcoming significant obstacles with an opportunity to highlight St. Louis Community College’s partnership with College Bound, an organization that provides students with additional support and resources as they pursue their education.
I spent several hours working with the student to build trust, understand her experiences and ensure she felt comfortable with how her story was told. I also incorporated perspectives from College Bound to demonstrate the impact of the partnership without allowing the organizational message to overshadow the student’s voice.
The result was a human-centered story that illustrated the importance of student support, perseverance and educational opportunity while introducing prospective and current students to resources that could help them achieve their own goals.
Impacted by 9/11, Nursing Student Shines at Work, School
Audience: Prospective and current students, employees and community members
What began as a story about a student receiving an award developed into a deeply human narrative about resilience, purpose and the experiences that shape our lives. During a 90-minute interview, I recognized that her personal journey offered an opportunity to tell a far more meaningful story than the original assignment suggested.
I allowed the conversation to develop naturally, giving the student the time and space to share difficult experiences that ultimately added emotional depth and context to her decision to pursue a career in nursing.
The challenge was balancing that powerful personal narrative with the College’s broader communications goals. I wove the student’s experiences together with information about St. Louis Community College and its nursing program, creating a long-form feature that remained engaging while highlighting educational opportunity and career preparation.
Nursing Staff Help Reservist Before Deployment
Audience: Prospective and current students, employees and community members
This story used one student’s success to serve several communications goals. For prospective and current students, it demonstrated the education, encouragement and career support available at St. Louis Community College. For employees, it reinforced the important role faculty and staff play in helping students achieve their goals.
The result was an uplifting, human-centered story that connected one student’s experience to a broader organizational message about education, opportunity and the impact of a supportive college community.