I never fully appreciated the beauty of the mountains of Northeast Georgia where I grew up, until I packed up my journalism degree and other belongings and moved to Manhattan’s upper west side to work as an editor and producer at CBS News and NBC’s TODAY Show.  My work as a journalist, editor, and producer has allowed me to tell stories about people from all over the world. I spoke with a 101-year-old man from Devon, England, who took his entire family skydiving to celebrate his birthday. His family members described the powerful experience as something they will never forget. I also learned why an Australian mom’s childhood compelled her to purchase multiple houses so that the homeless in her community would have a place to live. I even spoke with a garbage truck driver who drove into the California wildfires to rescue a 93-year-old woman on his route who he knew lived alone. She called him “her dearest friend.”These people have taught me that stories are important, not because of the prestige associated with someone’s job or accomplishments – and those things are not to be discounted – but because of the impact they have made on the lives around them. I believe telling these stories helps people understand how important they are – even if they don’t feel like it in their day-to-day lives.

My journalism experience has taught me that there are so many reasons why it is important to reflect on your life. I am here to help you communicate your story so that it will be just as impactful to you as it will be to your family. I will work with you to communicate the story you want to tell about yourself in a thoughtful, thought-provoking way that reflects your personality and wishes. Sometimes these stories end up meaning more to others than they do to you — because it can be hard to communicate your own perspective in the most effective way when you are so close to personal issues that may impact the message of your life’s largest themes. My job is to help people gather photos, videos, and audio recordings that tell their stories. The results of this gathering are often unpredictable and astonishing. While no one knows exactly what it is like to be you — we can work to communicate your values so that you can take control of your story and tell it the way it should be told.