2024 Board Nominations & Elections

Public media wasn't originally in the cards for me when I started my career. But after a few funky turns, I've spent the last eight years working for Indiana Public Broadcasting – a state government reporting team and collaboration. I'm running for PMJA's board because I believe that my professional background will help me advocate for stations of all sizes and contribute to the resources that PMJA offers. I've been a digital producer and editor for more than a decade. On my team that means I'm building interactive graphics, microsites, tools and resources in addition to feeding the beast of daily news. I'm nationally recognized for that work, including four honors from PMJA. I've also spoken at a half dozen conferences to talk about source diversity tracking, largely because I built a free copy-and-paste tracker based in Google Docs. And my work has been heard regionally in the Midwest as well as NPR. My job also means that I work with stations of all sizes in Indiana, from one-and-a-half person newsrooms to powerhouses of reporting teams. I intimately understand the struggles of stations of both sizes: We're told to do more with less without the support to build something on a strong foundation. I feel strongly that we can build up resources so no station has to feel like they are starting from scratch. And we can learn lessons from one another more than just once a year at a conference. Thank you for considering me for the PMJA Board.

I was first elected to the PMJA board of directors back in 2020. The organization has undergone some major changes since then. Not only have we been able to bring on a second staff person to assist with running of the organization, we improved our communication with members, and we now have regular trainings throughout the year, just to name a few things. When I first joined the board, I took helm of the training committee and put on one of our more successful trainings for journalists of color. It was called “Level Up.” It was designed not only encourage journalists of color who are often at the lower end of the totem pole in public media, but to give them practical advice/examples and access to successful people in this industry. We featured the likes of Phyllis Fletcher and Tonya Mosley as well as others. Another change since 2020, PMJA now offers various meetups for different affinity groups. Spaces where news directors or/and members of the LGBTQ plus community or people who work for small stations can come together to talk about issues impacting them and how they are working to solve those problems. This is just one way PMJA is fostering community. Finally, I chair the DEI committee and am dedicated to ensuring DEI efforts are ingrained throughout the organization. The committee is also working to find ways we can maintain and grow diversity throughout public media. As a journalist of color and someone who has not always felt welcomed in public media, this is close to my heart. I’m running for another term because I’d like to ensure the work that I’ve started is as successful as possible. My goal is to see it through. As a board member with a successful track record in this industry, I bring a deep understanding of not only public media and our mission, but what it’s like to be a reporter in the field as well as well as an understanding of what it’s going to take to reach audiences we have not served well over the years.

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I've served on the PMJA board for about two years, currently as the board secretary. In that time I assisted in planning and executing the 2023 conference in my hometown of San Antonio, helped map out the strategic longterm and shortterm goals, facilitated LGBTQIA meetups, and I am the chair of the Bylaws Committee. I’ve got a passion for public media having worked at Texas Public Radio for more than 12 years where I am the Engagement Producer and Internship Coordinator. I strongly believe in the mission of PMJA to provide all of us space to meet face-to-face or zoom-to-zoom to discuss ideas, experiences, and learn from each other and other professions with decades of experience. PMJA is unlike any other journalism organization. It focuses on what makes public radio unique and advocates for our distinct needs. Behind the training, meetups, and conference planning, are a dedicated staff and board that want to continue to create opportunities for out member stations’ journalists and I would be honored to continue that service.

From audio documentary to breaking news to non-narrated storytelling, I've worked in so many aspects of public media. I know the rewards and challenges of working at a local station, as well as understanding working at the network. One of my biggest achievements is mentoring young journalists and teaching them what they need to thrive in public media. I'm also always looking for ways that our audio can reach new audiences beyond broadcast.