I spent six years as a reporter, most of them at "The Columbus Dispatch," where I covered the religion beat. That job was wonderful because it allowed me to do my favorite things: Meet interesting people and ask them lots of questions. I also had the chance to cover Pope Benedict XVI's visit to New York and a child custody trial that made national news because it centered on a Christian runaway's claims against her Muslim parents. I wrote a lot about the American Muslim experience in a post-9/11 world. I also followed several churches and denominations as they struggled with, or embraced, their positions on gay marriage.

I was twice honored by the Ohio Society of Professional Journalists for the best religion reporting of the year (2009 and 2012).

In 2012, my personal life brought me to Chicago and into the world of higher education, marketing and social media. I continue to seek out freelance assignments to scratch my journalistic itch.