Interview by Emily Hessney Lynch.

Published June 18, 2020.

Where are you from? How did you end up in Rochester?

I’m from Bellmore, NY on Long Island. I landed in Rochester after almost three years at WBNG-TV in Binghamton where I was an evening news anchor and reporter.

What are some hidden gems you've discovered around Rochester?

Hot Shots Volleyball (I can't wait to get back there), Cobbs Hill, the Erie Canal of course (I love nature), Pittsford Plaza (it’s the best shopping center in the world...don’t @ me). And soooo many good restaurants and bars!

What are some of your favorite nonprofits to support?

A few of my favorites are the Leukemia Lymphoma Society, Be The Match, Children's Miracle Network, and Sock Out Cancer. I love working with nonprofits to help raise money.

If you had $100 and two hours to spend in Rochester, how would you spend the money/time?

It's called Sundays at Wegmans!

If you could only eat one Rochester food for the rest of your life, what would it be? 

Beef on Weck.

What's one memory you have that captures what Rochester means to you? 

Probably the first time I came here a year ago for my interview and fell in love with the city and modern/historic vibes it offered. It's a smaller, cleaner NYC that reminded me of back home.

What makes Rochester unique? 

It has everything! I love the agriculture and the farming areas that you can be surrounded by, and just minutes later be in the city. The beaches are beautiful and the suburbs are awesome with their own elegant charm.

What could be improved about our city? 

During this time, more social distancing and wearing a mask! We’ve got to keep it up so we can soon enjoy this beautiful city to the fullest.

If Rochester was a food, what would it be? 

A cheese platter- you have a ton of options and it's great both hot and cold!

What's a day in the life of a reporter like? 

I wake up at 2am and immediately check emails from overnight to see if there's been any breaking news, then continue getting ready picking out dress socks of the day. I have more than 200 pairs! I try to be in bed by 6pm...the key word is try. 

I'm a morning feature reporter, and I quickly learned it's the best job in the world. Before the COVID-19 outbreak I would get to the newsroom at 4AM, and work on scripts for whatever I was featuring LIVE that morning on Good Day Rochester. I've gone from picking strawberries on the farm to hockey shootouts on the ice, Bills training camp to a morning back at day camp or school, dancing with cast members from "So You Think You Can Dance" and "Dancing With The Stars," skiing, learning how probiotics are made and even sampling beer while holding a baby goat all morning. The list goes on, and I love the variety. I plan the stories out weeks or months in advance, for example booking restaurant openings the morning they open to take a look at some of their food...AND ALWAYS TASTE THE FOOD! 

I always jump at the opportunity to share fun, uplifting, positive stories, but serious situations to inform the public are priority especially if it's to keep viewers safe. That could be as police search for a suspect to severe weather or a pandemic.

How has COVID-19 impacted your work as a reporter?

Feature reporting is on hold for now as we focus on COVID-19. I am not going to the newsroom at this time. I work from my own car from 5am-9am either near a hospital, nursing home, health department, or other location that has to do with the story. I meet the photographer I work with there and we do eight live reports on Good Day Rochester every half hour, separated in our cars in between reports. During that time I'm changing up scripts so it's different throughout the morning. After 9am I go home to join our story pitch morning meeting by phone to go over what's happening that day. I then may conduct Zoom interviews, write reports and web stories from my living room.  

Unfortunately the news is primarily sad during this time, and my heart breaks everyday for the way it’s impacted people on so many levels. Through the tragedy there is important to learn from, and it's important to listen to each other. At WHAM we've spoken to families who have lost loved ones and beg the community to be smart and stay home. This is such an important time for journalism, and we're all learning together everyday. From the first case to the 2000th, we are reporting the facts at 13WHAM to make sure you know what is going on and how to stay safe. I don't have the incredible powers first responders do, but conveying potentially life-saving information from those on the front lines will always be the most important stories.

What advice would you give to aspiring journalists in Rochester and beyond?

• Learn to take criticism so you can learn and grow.
• Meet people and build your network.
• BE NICE (An underrated trait that goes a long way).
• School/internships may be different right now, but find ways to go above and beyond with technology and journalism. You can shoot video on your phone, practice reporting in selfie mode, and even use social media to report on issues.
• Source your information.
• Know what's going on. Be a storyteller, not someone who "reads" the news.
• NEVER close a door, be open to all opportunities -- You never know what you may fall in love with.
• Be willing to do any task. Packing a box of pens and notepads while interning for Entertainment Tonight helped get me to work on the red carpet of the Oscars.
• Believe in yourself everyday and take time for your mental health as there will be tough times on this job.
• Know that the people you meet and places will go will be the best part of your job!
• Follow your dreams and have fun.