I’m a prairie girl. Born and raised in Alberta, I first fell in love with the ocean when exploring New Zealand in 2014. And so, after spending a year as first the intern, then a reporter and finally editor at the Pincher Creek Echo I packed my car and moved to the Island.
I grew up on a farm near Fairview, an hour north of Grande Prairie, six hours northwest of Edmonton. With a population of around 3,500 people, I escaped as soon as I was done high school. I studied journalism at Mount Royal University and graduated with a communication degree in spring of 2015.
At MRU I was exposed to not only traditional print journalism but also mutli-media reporting. I spent three weeks in India on a field school and six months on exchange in New Zealand.
Despite a thorough introduction to the art of journalism, I didn’t exactly hit the ground running in Pincher Creek. After a few stumbles I got the swing of things and tackled everything from residential schools to rumours of the government putting up gates along ATV trails.
While I was with the Echo we won awards from the Alberta Weekly Newspaper Association for our sports section as well as my investigation into a landowner illegally digging in the river.
All in all the sleepy town grew on me and I was sad to leave my new friends, softball team and tight knit group of co-workers.
I am looking forward to getting to know the ins and outs of Campbell River as well as all of the outdoor excursions that Island life has to offer. I want to learn to kayak, surf and sail and to continue camping and hiking just like I did in southern Alberta.