TBD

My interest in journalism originated from my love for Carpaccio, sashimi and half-smokes. As a child, my dream job was to become a food writer, traveling and tasting the world… or to become a spy.

I decided to aim for the former.

I never became a professional food writer, but I did have a food blog that I kept up with for about five years. I started it when half the world didn’t even know what a blog was. That’s certainly not the case anymore, as you can pretty much find a blog on any topic ranging from vampires to spelunking.

Not only that, but blogs are now a large part of today’s media. From national blogs to hyperlocal blogs, their posts educate, enlighten and encourage discussions with their readers.

But it isn’t just blogs that have reshaped traditional media.

Social media has as well. And in a big way.

We live in a 140-character world, meaning that many of us are busy, impatient and picky with the news we consume. I know I am. But fortunately, we all still want news of some sort (weather, traffic, latest restaurant openings, politics, Justin Bieber, etc.)

Twitter has been one of my major sources for news. I love that I can get all of my information quickly in one spot, and also communicate directly with others so easily. As a journalist, I’ve used it to crowdsource information, share story ideas and add more depth to my pieces. It’s enabled me to become a better storyteller.

But I think being able to connect with others is one of the biggest and best things about it.

It’s how I met Steve Buttry, the director of community engagement for TBD.

It may also be the reason I got this job.

Because you see, not too long after I sent in my application, Steve started following me on Twitter. I almost fell out of my chair when I saw this. I returned the follow, and from there came a few email exchanges and an interview… and then a couple more email exchanges and another pitch for why I’d be the best person for the position.

The job offer didn’t come right away, but it did come. And I’m thrilled to be on board.

My background is in multimedia and broadcast journalism. I spent a few years at a financial trade publication, freelanced for local weeklies, one-man-banded around the Maryland State House during grad school, co-directed a documentary on homelessness in Washington, D.C., and most recently produced stories for a hyperlocal news show.

Now I’m excited to have to the opportunity to work on a different kind of news; one that’s more local and community-based. As part of TBD’s community engagement team, I’ll get to connect with people through different mediums. Whether it’s online via Twitter, Facebook and Foursqure or out at local events, meet-ups and Tweet-ups, it’ll be wonderful to engage with the community on a more personal level. So, if you see us around, come over and say hi. We’d love to meet you and hear your stories and what you have to say.