Pivots can be a good thing!
I've wanted to be a journalist since the sixth grade. An encounter with two journalists, Dave Huddleston and Heather Tesch, at my local CBS affiliate in St. Paul/Minneapolis launched me toward accomplishing that dream.
My career has taken me to Fort Smith (Arkansas), Youngstown (Ohio), Flint (Michigan), and Cleveland (Ohio). 14 years in, and the fire to do meaningful work remains.
This past December, I decided to pivot. A contract renewal was offered, but I decided it was time to seek a new opportunity. Scary? Yes! But the end of a contract presents an opportunity to reflect, evaluate and make a decision. My six years in Cleveland (first as a multimedia journalist and then weekday morning anchor/reporter) were filled with many accomplishments in the ever-changing world and industry we live and work.
I was part of an anchor team that brought the station's morning newscasts to the most competitive position in its history. I was asked to be on a strategic planning committee. Newscasts were added. I trained new producers. For some, it was their first time working in a newsroom. Others were following their dreams and changing careers. I also learned new skills- like how to solo broadcast from a live production/streaming studio for OTT audiences. Former CBS News President Andrew Heyward interviewed me about it.
I helped navigate viewers through the COVID-19 pandemic, won two Emmys, and welcomed a son into the world. I felt in my heart and gut it was time to pivot and seek a new opportunity that aligned with where I am today as a journalist, husband, and father. Bottom line- I'm looking for an anchor/reporter opportunity that allows me to continue to inform, inspire and entertain. I've always worked hard to elevate newscasts, learn new skills, shape content behind-the-scenes and be a good newsroom citizen. Pivots can be scary. But they can be a good thing too. That's how I categorize my decision.