If someone would have told me I would pack up everything I have and move to the Great Pacific Northwest to live in a port town on Puget Sound, I would have thought they were crazy.

I know that scenario is a cliché everyone says about some aspect of their lives, but it is something that stands true in mine. This region of the country is beautiful and somewhere that just seemed too much like paradise to ever actually live in.

However, an opportunity presented itself to me, allowing me to live out such a dream, doing exactly what I love to do – working at the local newspaper as the managing editor.

I got into journalism about 10 years ago while attending Central Michigan University and realized it would be a career I would enjoy and be able to say, “It doesn’t feel like I am working a day in my life.”

For being a “young journalist,” I have had the opportunity to work under great mentors while I studied in Michigan. They taught me about old-school journalism (I even waxed a few editions together in a time when computers were very much active), why community journalism is important, our role in the community and so much more.

I was taught the Journalism Code of Ethics, which my career lives by today. Being ethical and accurate are my two main priorities I pride myself in as a writer and something I hold fellow writers accountable for.

I believe in building relationships with people within the community – both with our readers and sources. Through my reporting, I also try to bridge the gap between the readers and leaders and give voices to both sides of every story.

Centering my career around this philosophy, I believe has brought me to this beautiful location and wonderful paper in Port Townsend.

After graduating from CMU in 2010, I went on to work for a newspaper corporation before getting into family-owned newspapers, which, in my opinion, is the best type of newspaper to have in any community. The Leader is now the third family-owned newspaper I have worked for, and I can see how important bringing local news to the community is to the Mullen family – a belief I strongly share as well.

For the past five years, I have lived in Wyoming – running a small, twice-a-week newspaper near the beautiful Wind River Mountains.

I have always taken pride in every edition of a newspaper I have put out, and that attitude will not change here.

I believe in what newspapers do for the community, specifically what The Leader does for Jefferson County and its readers.

I look forward to getting to know those who have lived here for years and others who are newcomers like me. I am excited to fall in love with all of the reasons why you guys call Jefferson County your home.