Professional Experience

July 2018 to present: Reporter, WINK News. Previously worked as a resident reporter at WVVA in Bluefield, W.Va.; at ABC 7 Chicago as a news planning intern; at Dateline NBC as a story development intern; and at the Northwestern University's Medill Justice Project as a multimedia investigative reporter.

Awards & Recognition

Hearst Foundation Journalism Award for Enterprise Reporting.

Assistant produced 2-hour, Dateline episode hosted by Keith Morrison, “At the Bottom of the Pool,” aired Oct. 13, 2017.

Kappa Tau Alpha National Honor Society - lifelong membership exclusively for students in top 10 percent of their graduating class in journalism programs across the country.

National QuestBridge Scholar - awarded to the country's most talented, determined, and self-motivated students from low-income populations who demonstrate outstanding academic ability despite financial challenges.

News Philosophy

We consume news when we are gripped by the emotions making us all human — these are the stories that knock us off our feet. Tell the stories not easily seen that must be experienced through the emotions we all feel.

Hobbies, Interests & Community Involvement

Running and cycling! I love all of the fitness-inspired events South West Florida holds to benefit others.

Education

Bachelor of Science in Journalism, Northwestern University, Medill School of Journalism, Magna Cum Laude.

Likes best about Southwest Florida

I am so grateful for the hundreds of days you can spend outdoors with friends and family.

Hometown 

Keystone Heights, Florida.

New questions surround Cape Coral hit-and-run after accused driver arrested

Many new questions surround a deadly hit-and-run case in Lee County, since the accused driver has been arrested. Logan Hetherington, 19 was arrested for hitting and killing 8-year-old Layla Aiken then leaving the scene in March. We spoke to a family friend as well as a legal expert about Hetherington’s arrest. Family friend Lacey Williams […]

Concerned citizens unite to clear beaches of dangerous plastic pellets

Have you ever heard of a nurdle? They are tiny plastic pellets used in the process for making plastic products. They look harmless, but they can be deadly for animals. A group in Collier County formed Nurdle Patrol to clean up beaches and raise awareness toward these tiny objects. “I want to go out and […]

PHOTO CREDIT: MGN

FGCU research team heading to Germany to find, recover missing WWII airmen

Lisa Szymanski saw her father alive for the last time in 1964. Staff Sergeant Lawrence Woods went missing in action that year after his plane was shot down during the Vietnam War. “When the plane went down seven got out and one didn’t and that was my dad. One witness said someone — which I […]

Gas Leak: TECO says contractor did not confirm digging site

On Saturday, a natural gas leak shut down a stretch of U.S. 41, forcing evacuation of businesses, turning off their gas and barring people from their homes for several hours. The company that owns the line said the construction contractor working a site near its line did not follow protocols. MORE:  Crews monitor south Fort […]

Water samples collected on Fort Myers Beach for testing

Several agencies recruited friends and neighbors to collect water samples across Southwest Florida in an effort to confirm what’s in our water. FGCU’s The Water School, Mound House and NOAA teamed up with community members to collect data from around 50 spots on Fort Myers Beach in our local waterways. “What was the impetus for […]

Lee County schools host ‘career signing day’

Schools often celebrate students when they sign to play college sports and accept scholarships or military appointments. Now, the School District of Lee County is celebrating students signing up for a career. South Fort Myers High School hosted a Career Signing Day Thursday. Career academy students certified in welding, automotive repair, electrical and plumbing are […]

Family member identifies teen who died in kayaking incident

A missing kayaker was found unconscious off the Sanibel Causeway Saturday evening and later died in the hospital. A family member, who wished to remain anonymous, identified 16-year-old William Jenkins as the kayaker. Jenkins was diagnosed with epilepsy a few months ago. His family believes he had a seizure and drowned during his outing Saturday. […]

Cape Coral neighbor brings attention to caring for burrowing owls

Neighbors are upset with a man who took a weed whacker to nests belonging to burrowing owls in Cape Coral. But the man said he was just trying to cut down the vegetation around the threatened species’ nest. Luckily, none of the owls were harmed. Regardless, the whole scare for the owl’s safety sparked a […]

LCSO assists Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office with search warrant

Lee County Sheriff’s Office is assisting Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office with a search warrant in Lehigh Acres Both departments were on scene at the Lehigh Acres residence for a majority of Friday morning investigating a home. Crews could be seen going throughout the home by reporters at the scene. No further information has been […]

Symposium teaches tools aiming to stop human trafficking

A $150 billion industry with more than 40 million global victims and 25 percent of these victims are children. Those statistics are all connected to sex trafficking. On Thursday, people from across the country came together in Southwest Florida to tackle the growing issue. “Our own children are being trafficked and are being used in […]