An employee of the University Relations office since 1991, I consider myself one of the “golden oldies.” My previous work experience includes being a typesetter for the campus printing department, the News Messenger and Commonwealth Press. I also spent two years as an editorial assistant for the Roanoke Times’ New River Bureau.

 I’ve been fortunate to interview people with awesome stories . Some of my favorite interviews have been with John Schuck who portrayed a Klingdon in “”Star Trek,  Sally Struthers (that's me with Sally in the photo below) who portrayed Gloria in  “All in the Family” and the nosey neighbor on “”Gilmore Girls, Appalachian-Cherokee writer and RU friend Marilou Awiakta, Robert Morgan who authored Gap Creek and RU alumnus Michelle Lineberry Mullins, one of the longest living heart transplant recipients. Three particular RU Magazine articles caused me to realize what an awesome RU community we have – the interview with Michelle, an interview with the late English professor Rita Riddle and a personal perspective on the Highland Summer Conference. In my writing journey, I sometimes run into unexpected surprises. As I was developing a theme for the Highlanders Festival several years ago, I made a call to a fabric shop in West Virginia to ask permission to use cloth with “The Wizard of Oz” characters on it. As it turned out, I was talking to Donna Hardway who was one of the original Munchkins.

My job description criss-crosses a wide territory but I enjoy it all, particularly anything that paves the way for creative writing. Some of my favorite assignments are writing feature stories for the RU Magazine and promoting Appalachian awareness. For five years, I was the face behind Darlin’ MacFarlane, the “official unofficial” clown of the Radford Highlanders Festival. I’ve met children from all over the world and have loved every moment I spent with them.

I have literally lived from coast to coast  – a few months in San Diego and then later in Myrtle Beach – but always preferred coming home to the highlands. I grew up about five miles from RU’s beautiful Selu Conservancy and the New River Valley is my home.

I am the mother of two daughters and MawMaw to three grandchildren. Though I am a writer, one of my biggest regrets is that I haven’t kept a continuous journal on all my life experiences because some of them exceed anything you’d ever read in a fictional book, but I suppose that is true with everyone.

My motto is: “My life is too good to ever write fiction.”