I love a good story. Whether it’s a funny, relatable anecdote or the narrative of an organization’s impact, stories and people make life colorful, and they've kept my career in communications and economic development interesting too.
As Editor in Chief of Livability.com, I lead the site’s content strategy and voice, reaching millions every year with content about our nation’s small and mid-sized cities and why they’re great places to live. I also direct Livability Media’s industry content for economic development and talent attraction professionals, including the "Inside America’s Best Cities" podcast, Let’s Talk Talent newsletter, research on American relocation habits and speaking at national conferences. Through these and other platforms, I've continued to build my industry knowledge and enjoy providing a space for communities to learn from expert perspectives and each others' best practices. Prior to Livability, I worked with a boutique PR agency and before that spent nearly eight years on the communications team with the Chattanooga Chamber of Commerce in Chattanooga, Tennessee (where I'm still based). There I served as lead writer and editor for the largest business organization in a region of 1 million people and helped promote the Chattanooga area nationally while serving 2,000 Chamber member businesses. My efforts contributed to millions of annual impressions about my home city. My favorite thing about being part of the economic development industry is helping create life-changing opportunities for people – whether it’s a move to start fresh, a great job opportunity or anything that helps someone create a life they love. Additionally, I've been involved with the Public Relations Society of America Lookout Chapter for most of my career and served as 2021 president. |