Education & Learning:

• Bachelor of Arts (English) with minors in economics and political science

• I got my Master of New Media going to school part time

• I must stay current on all emerging digital technologies including design, web development and social distribution

 

"My English degree developed my writing skills and my ability to tell stories to different audiences. My minor in economics and political science provided me the contextual breadth to understand the major issues and themes that impact society and are core to my stories. Doing my Master of New Media was critical for me to learn how to best apply the skills I developed in English across media channels. The one thing that I have learned is that being complacent in this role is not an option. Technology and audience media consumption habits now evolve so quickly that being behind on trends is a career-killer."

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Employment Experiences:

• Wrote for my school newspaper starting in my first year and was editor in my final year

• Developed blog focused on student life. This blog generated $300 per month in advertising revenue when I was in university.

• I worked one summer as a social media coordinator for a local media organization and was tasked with recommending strategies to connect with the 18 to 24-year-old audience

• Following graduation, I was hired for a new digital media start-up as part of their content development and editorial team. The start-up has expanded and I was promoted to editor after five years.

• I continue to do freelance writing, primarily on LGBTQ issues, for a range of media outlets, building out my professional portfolio

 

"My employment strategy was to build on my English degree by looking for opportunities to apply my writing skills to develop my portfolio. In a content development role, your portfolio is the only credential that matters. I knew my English BA was a means to an end—but not the end. So, I kept writing.

Writing in the school newspaper embedded me in a community of like-minded people and gave me an opportunity to start my portfolio in Year 1. Writing my blog started out as a hobby and more of a rant, but when it started building an audience, I realized I might be able to make a living with my skills.

Joining a digital start-up out of university was a huge break because I was given a wide scope from Day 1. It was a sink or swim kind of place, so I learned how to swim VERY fast. Five years later, I am now editor and going to work isn’t work."

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Community Experiences:

• In university was active in the Positive Spaces initiative and community

• I am a passionately involved in the LGBTQ community as a volunteer. I am on the board of local Pride festival.

 

"I have been passionate about LGBTQ issues since high school and becoming involved in this community has brought me huge personal support. My passion has turned me into an advocate and storyteller for the community."

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Contextual Experiences:

• Coming out in high school was the most difficult experience of my life

 

"Coming out in high school was an experience that is burned into my DNA. It created tension with everyone I loved. This experience led me to become an activist in this community and to ensure young people today have the support that I didn’t have. I support them though my stories."

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Relationships:

• Member and volunteer at the Associated Collegiate Press

 

"My advice is to find your communities and don’t be shy. This is easier said than done, but remember, every single person has been where you have been. So just make that call. Whenever a student calls me for a coffee to talk about the profession, I never say no. Some of my best friends and professional colleagues came from cold calls."