From Creativity to Community Impact: A Conversation with a Public Media Leader

You earned a bachelor’s degree in communications with a marketing minor and later a master’s in technology education from Bowling Green State University. What led you to this career path?

I started college as a finance major. I was deep into accounting, finance, and economics until a moment changed everything. One evening after a stressful day of business classes, I came home to find my roommate and a friend laughing while doing their homework. They were writing a commercial for a class assignment and clearly having a great time.

Just hearing their conversation piqued my curiosity. I offered a few ideas, and we ended up collaborating on the assignment. I’ll never forget how freeing it felt to work on something creative and fun. In that moment, I realized this was the kind of work I should be doing. It matched my personality far more than finance ever had.

The following Monday I changed my major to telecommunications, studying print, television, and radio while keeping my marketing minor. Once I got into those courses, everything clicked. I immediately excelled and felt like I had found my lane.

In many ways, the career path chose me. I’ve always been creative with writing, drawing, and imagining ideas for commercials and television shows. This field allowed me to turn that creativity into a career.

Your media career spans decades, and you now serve as Director of Marketing and Communications at WGTE Public Media. How did that journey unfold?

My first job out of college was as a production assistant at WGTE in Toledo. At the time, my experience was limited to shooting weddings and classroom projects, so stepping into that role was a big moment for me. What immediately drew me in was the combination of creativity, video production, and education.

I was never particularly interested in short-form news, which is where many graduates begin. Instead, I’ve always been drawn to educational programming, documentaries, and projects designed to make a difference in people’s lives. That mission was at the core of WGTE then and continues to be today.

Over time, I worked my way up to associate producer. Later, I accepted a position at WBGU-PBS in Bowling Green, where I continued producing content while also teaching video production courses to students from Bowling Green State University. Each semester I mentored about forty students.

Teaching helped me grow tremendously. It forced me to refine my own skills while helping prepare the next generation of storytellers. It also marked the beginning of my leadership journey as I coordinated production crews and guided students as they launched their careers.

Later, I joined Buckeye Broadband to help develop a new arts network called BCAN, the sister network of BCSN. My role involved helping build the network from the ground up, focusing on artistic expression across Northwest Ohio. Eventually that chapter ended, and I returned to WGTE as Director of Marketing and Communications. In many ways, life brought me full circle.

You spent several years outside public media. What did that experience teach you?

My eight-and-a-half years at BCAN were extremely valuable. One of the biggest lessons I learned was how important relationships are when launching new projects.

We often developed creative concepts and pitched them to potential sponsors. Seeing an idea move from a brainstorm session to a funded, fully produced project was an incredible experience. It showed me how creativity and relationships can work together to bring big ideas to life.

Working in a for-profit environment also broadened my perspective. I learned to think about projects not just creatively, but strategically and financially. When I returned to public media, I carried that mindset with me. Even within nonprofit guidelines, there are many opportunities to build meaningful partnerships.

What accomplishments are you most proud of?

Professionally, I’m proud to be a five-time Emmy Award–winning producer and writer. I’ve also received around ten Telly Awards and nearly twenty Emmy nominations. In television, an Emmy represents the highest level of recognition, so achieving that milestone multiple times is something I deeply appreciate.

Beyond the awards, I’m incredibly proud of the students I’ve mentored. Watching them succeed in the industry has been one of the most rewarding parts of my career.

Some of my former students now work at HBO, MTV, PBS, and even with major digital creators like MrBeast. Seeing them thrive reminds me that mentorship can have a lasting ripple effect.

I’m also proud that I’ve been able to build and sustain my career right here in Northwest Ohio. In media, it’s common to move from market to market, but being able to grow professionally while continuing to contribute to the Toledo community has meant a lot to me.

What lesson do you emphasize to students entering media today?

The biggest lesson I share with students is the importance of being a lifelong learner. Media and technology evolve constantly, and if you’re not paying attention, it’s easy to fall behind.

Over the course of my career, I’ve witnessed massive changes in how content is created and distributed. Today someone can record, edit, and publish a high-quality video entirely from their phone.

Because of that, I encourage students to stay curious and absorb everything around them. Even skills that may not seem relevant today could become valuable later. I can honestly say I’ve used nearly every skill I’ve learned in this field at some point in my career.

Why is community storytelling so important to public media?

Public media has a simple but powerful mission: to inform, educate, and inspire the communities it serves. The most effective way to accomplish that is by telling stories that reflect the people within those communities.

Those stories can take many forms—youth programs, documentaries, town halls, or local productions that amplify voices we might not otherwise hear. The key word is “public.” Everyone deserves a place in the conversation.

What legacy do you hope to leave through your work?

I hope my leadership, mentorship, and community involvement inspire others in some way. If my story encourages someone to believe in themselves or pursue their passion, then I’ll feel that I’ve made a meaningful impact.

I strongly believe in servant leadership. To me, leadership means ensuring the people around you have what they need to succeed.

Someone once said, “If service is beneath you, then leadership is beyond you.” That idea has stayed with me throughout my career, and I hope the work I’m doing today continues to create opportunities for others in the future.