Six months ago, I took my first fulltime journalism job as the associate producer of the “Sound of Ideas.”
I’ve had a lot of practice introducing myself. Booking guests for the show is one of the most crucial aspects of my job. For every organization leader, academic expert, government official or Average Joe I have secured for an interview, I feel a growing sense of connection to Northeast Ohio. Each conversation expands my understanding of this community, deepening my investment in the stories we tell.
I joined the “Sound of Ideas” team last summer after interning with Ideastream’s newscast department — while I was a student at Ohio University — in 2023. When I returned, I felt a mix of nerves and determination, eager to prove I had grown stronger, sharper, more capable.
On Aug. 5, I received my first story assignment, a segment on the Great Lakes Basin Forest Health Collaborative, a Holden Arboretum program that tracks invasive species and protects native trees.
On Aug. 6, five tornadoes ripped through Northeast Ohio. The rest of my first week was upended. I spent days without power at my apartment, getting ready for work by candlelight and relying on takeout for every meal. But the most important lesson I took from that experience? The news stops for no one. The “Sound of Ideas” had a show to produce, and we did — every single weekday.
In addition to covering the fallout from the storms, during which I manned the phones to make sure those affected could be heard on our air, we offered the kind of varied topics through the week that the "Sound of Ideas" is know for.
Supervising Producer Rachel Rood produced a conversation with County Executive Chris Ronayne about the Cleveland Browns’ move to Brook Park. Coordinating Producer Drew Maziasz brought in Cleveland Museum of Natural History curators to mark the 50th anniversary of Lucy’s discovery. It was inspiring to witness this team — undaunted by chaos — produce meaningful journalism under pressure.
When my own segment aired, I felt an overwhelming sense of relief. Holden Arboretum had suffered significant storm damage, and it was a small miracle that both guests made it to the studio. The discussion was insightful and timely. That 17 minutes of content, built from an underreported topic I sought out, felt like a victory.
Since then, I’ve produced more than 20 shows of varying subjects. I have covered infectious disease, childcare, the local unhoused population and the 2024 election.
The chaos of that first week never fully receded — but that’s what makes the job exciting and essential. I embark on the second half of my first year better informed, more confident and, admittedly, relieved that tornado season is still months away.
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