Senior Analytics Manager, Courier Newsroom
UW Majors: English and Communications
Tell us a bit about your job (e.g. what kinds of things you’re working on, what types of problems you solve day to day, etc.)?
Since graduating from the University of Washington with degrees in Communications and English Literature, I've taken a winding path but never strayed far from the humanities. As head of content analytics at Courier Newsroom, I'm heads-down in code, technical workflows and presentations, but still a journalist at heart using the skills and values I explored 20 years ago under my mentor Prof. Mike Henderson. The reporting I do now is focused not on board meetings and crime, but on audience growth and engagement.
How do you think your humanities education has influenced/advanced your career path?
At every stop along my journey -- a small-town newspaper, sprawling news sites, City Hall, a leading cancer research center and the local news properties I now serve -- curiosity has been key to the job. The greatest gift a liberal arts education provided is a love of learning and an appreciation for diversity of culture, experience and ideas. Data may be the "it" currency of our modern world, but learning to walk in others' shoes, challenge conventional thinking and explore the "why" of things is truly invaluable.
Want to read more? Check out the profiles on the Alumni Spotlights page for more information on what our humanities majors are up to.