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.

TikTok investigates reports of posts encouraging sexual assault

TikTok says, if it finds any content promoting a heinous crime, it will immediately remove it. The social media service shared this in response to reports of a group of men encouraging rape on its platform, but so far, TikTok says it has not found these possible posts. Some people reacting to the reports claim […]

Amendment to Lee County’s right-of-way ordinance bans panhandling

Lee County commissioners on Tuesday approved an ordinance amendment that prohibits pedestrians from standing on medians and interacting with those in vehicles. Violators face a misdemeanor charge that carries a fine of $500 or less and/or 60 days in jail. The Lee County Sheriff’s Office will educate and raise awareness of the ordinance before actual […]

SUV crash charlotte

Neighbor lifts fridge off of man after SUV crashes into home

After an SUV crashed into a home in Port Charlotte, it hit the fridge, which fell on one of the homeowners. The 89-year-old man was pinned underneath his fridge. Luckily, his neighbors were able to help him. Jeff Wright prefers calm at home and chaos at work. “When I’m at work, I’m expecting it, you […]

COVID-19 hospital admissions on the rise in Southwest Florida

Snowbirds may be leaving Southwest Florida but the number of COVID-19 admissions in some hospitals continues to increase. Lee Health has watched admissions rise from 89 to 109 people over the last few days. Little things over the last few weeks feel almost normal. There are more smiles and less fear as people continue to […]

A look at Florida prohibiting so-called vaccine passports at businesses

The governor has already banned them the idea of a vaccine passport in Florida, but will that hold if private businesses want them? Gov. Ron DeSantis signed an executive order that prohibits businesses from requiring so-called vaccine passports. “The idea that you should have to show that to be able to participate in normal activity […]

Lee sheriff sues woman, says she is not fit to care for pet dog

The Lee County Sheriff’s Office is taking on a dog owner in court after the state said it would not prosecute the woman in court. Boots is at the center of the lawsuit. Jeanette Davis, 66, is on one side. And on the other is Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno. Marceno went to civil court […]

Fire officials: 3-acre brush fire began as unauthorized pile burn in North Fort Myers

Florida Forest Service and Bayshore Fire Protection and Rescue Service District responded to a brush fire that started at a homeowner’s property Tuesday. According to the forestry service, crews are responding to what became a 3-acre brush fire at a private property on Aqua Vista Drive off Palm Creek Drive, and they have contained 95% […]