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What do you do?
I research, develop and produce documentary style programs (usually with a medical theme) for the Discovery Network (Discovery Channel, Discovery Health, TLC).

How did you get your job?
I returned to Chapel Hill at the end of 1995 after my husband took a job with the town planning department. My husband told me about Bill Hayes, the president of the company, who he met because Bill needed a zoning permit. I started doing freelance projects with Advanced Medical soon after that. In 1998, the company hired me as a staff producer.

Best professional lesson learned at the J-School?
I believe the most important thing I learned in journalism school was the importance of accuracy and that to be accurate you need to do your homework.

What are you working on currently?
I am currently developing a series of shows with the theme "Mind Over Matter" to pitch to Discovery Health.

What do you consider to be your greatest professional achievement?
I produced a program, Genetic Promises, which won a prestigious award for medical programming. The program was also submitted by Discovery Health for an Emmy. A more personally rewarding achievement was a documentary project I did about the integration of Chapel Hill High School. I was in the first integrated class and wondered what it would have been like to have been an African American in that class. As part of the Humanities grant I received, I was required to hold a public forum. The forum attracted 170 people and generated tremendous discussion.

What makes you good at your job?
I am curious, persistent and enjoy working with the people I profile. I also bring a journalistic sensibility to my company, which I believe is important.

What did you want to be as a kid?
A ballerina...I did in fact have a short career in New York as a modern dancer.

What is one thing you wished you had done?
Learned another language and spent time in the Peace Corps.