Ask anyone who knows me, and they will tell you that being a meteorologist has been my dream job since 5^th grade. I graduated from Lehigh with a bachelor’s in Earth and Environmental Science, and I am currently earning a certificate in Broadcast Meteorology through Mississippi State University.

Recently, I accepted my second Broadcast Meteorology position at the NBC affiliate in Savannah, GA. While I am still 11 hours from home (Bucks County, PA), I am slowly climbing my way back to the Northeast.

Hey, at least I am in the same time zone again — my first job in TV took me to a NBC station in South Texas.

Part of the reason I was excited to work in the southeast was for the variety of weather. Boy did I get my fair share in just the first few months.

The Georgia coast curves inward, so direct impact from tropical systems is not as likely as some other east coast states. It must have been my lucky year because in the beginning of September 2016, Tropical Storm Hermine passed through our viewing area, and just a month later, Hurricane Matthew tore through with even more damage. Wow, what an experience that was. I learned so much from just those two storms and truly bonded with my entire news and weather team. It is an experience I will never forget.

I have always had a passion for weather, but my desire for community service may be just as strong. While at Lehigh I was a captain on the cheerleading team, Vice President of Membership for Pi Beta Phi, a tour guide, and on the Executive Board of the Society of Environmental Scientists.  All of these extracurricular activities broadened my horizon and opened the door to many community service opportunities.

I am the Weekend Morning Meteorologist, which gives me a lot of opportunity for community outreach during the week. I have made some school visits, provided students with studio tours, and even got a chance to judge a dog show! My favorite events to attend and speak at are school Career Days since a meteorologist who spoke to my class inspired me to choose this career path. It is an amazing experience to motivate the students to work hard to achieve their dreams.

Our weather team also has a program called Weather Wise Kids, where students can submit their weather questions for one of our meteorologists to answer. It is just another way of reaching out to the community and making science approachable.

It’s sometimes hard to believe how much I have learned and experienced in just a few short years. While my job description includes forecasting the future, I have no idea where I will be next. Keep your eye out, in just a few years I might pop-up on your TV screen. My dream would be to land a job closer to home and lucky for me, my hometown and college town are less than an hour apart.

I really just want to live close so I can watch Lehigh beat Lafayette every year. GO HAWKS!

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