Alumni & Friends

Meet Our Alumni

• <span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/1750-monica-jacobe" title="Monica Jacobe" aria-label="Monica Jacobe"><img src="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,411,357/3169_Jacobe.rev.1518210604.jpg" alt="Monica Jacobe" title="Monica Jacobe" class="lw_image" width="345" height="225" data-max-w="411" data-max-h="357"/></a></span><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_profiles_headline"><a href="/live/profiles/1750-monica-jacobe"/></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><p> Dr. Jacobe holds a bachelor’s degree in English and Mass Communication from Emory & Henry College, an MFA in creative writing from The American University, and a Ph.D. in English Language and Literature from The Catholic University of America.  For over fifteen years, she has been a teacher of writing and American literature, teaching at TCNJ, Princeton University, The University of Maryland College Park, The Catholic University of America, and The American University.  She held previous administrative posts at both Catholic and American, where she helped run the writing programs and writing centers of those universities.  Dr. Jacobe is also a certified ACTFL OPI Tester for English language and will complete training to become an ACTFL Tester Trainer in 2016.</p><p> She is the co-author of Final Draft 4, a bridging level ELT writing textbook from Cambridge University Press, the author of over a dozen scholarly articles, and nearly two dozen pieces of public commentary on the state of higher education in America, appearing in such publications as <em>Western Humanities Review, Academe, College English, Inside Higher Ed, How the University Works</em>, and the <em>University of Venus</em>, among others.  In 2006, she was a research fellow with the American Association of University Professors, thanks to a grant from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, and since then, has given 20 invited talks on academia across the country and the world. Monica is also at work on a scholarly book about the impact of globalization on concepts of regional identity in the American South and its literature.</p></div><a href="/live/profiles/1750-monica-jacobe" class="link-with-arrow gold">Keep reading</a></div>
• <span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/12-" title="Jason Jones" aria-label="Jason Jones"><img src="/live/image/gid/2/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1000,666/20_50e7f6e024ddf954897b5c198cf66106_f51611.rev.1490707161.jpg" alt="Jason Jones" title="Jason Jones" class="lw_image" width="345" height="225" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/2/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1000,666/20_50e7f6e024ddf954897b5c198cf66106_f51611.rev.1490707161.jpg 2x" data-max-w="1000" data-max-h="666"/></a></span><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_profiles_headline"><a href="/live/profiles/12-"><p> Jason Jones (’12) Giving Hope to At-Risk Children</p></a></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><p> In a school district where the failure rate is very high and the pass rate is very low, Jason Jones is making a difference.</p><p> The 2012 Emory & Henry graduate is giving hope every day to at-risk children in San Antonio, Texas, hundreds of miles from his hometown in Greeneville, Tenn., where he teaches K-5 music during the day and, after school, directs the choir and orchestra, teaches music memory, and advises the yearbook staff.</p><p> And, he’s doing it one note at a time.</p><p> Two years ago, Jones introduced orchestra music to students at Highlands Hills Elementary School, the only one among 54 schools in the district that has an orchestra program.</p><p> The results have been astounding.</p><p> “I’ve seen students who were not motivated to be in school. I’ve seen students who were making low grades and poor choices,” said Jones.</p><p> “After a fifth-grade student joined the orchestra, she got involved in school. She became a school patrol; she went on to middle school where she continued to take music. She’s taken all honor classes—just because she was in the orchestra. It changed her life, and it’s changing the lives of other students.”</p><p> Following college graduation, Jones completed a two-year position with Teach for America at Highland Hills Elementary School. When his two-year position was completed, he was asked to stay.</p><p> Jones said he was among 54,000 applicants when he applied for the Teach for America position in 2012. The organization only accepted 5,000 teachers that year and only 100 of them were placed in San Antonio.</p><p> No doubt about it, he’s making his mark on education.</p><p> Jones witnessed more affluent schools in the district enjoying generous budgets while his school did not have the money for extra music programs.</p><p> “I didn’t think it was fair that students in the richer part of the city got to learn these instruments and my students on the south side of San Antonio in a poor neighborhood didn’t have those same opportunities,” Jones said. “Nearly 100 percent of the children eat free and reduced lunches. They can’t afford instruments or music lessons. Some of their parents work as many as four jobs.”</p><p> He couldn’t help but think back to the conversations that took place in Dr. Julia Wilson’s sociology classroom when he was a student. “Fighting for the less fortunate people who don’t know how to help themselves really stuck with me.”</p><p> So, instead of complaining, he and a middle school orchestra teacher applied for a grant to receive help. Their school was awarded a $10,000 grant from San Antonio Independent School District Foundation (SAISD), which paid for 20 instruments for the students in 2012. Two years later, the school received another $500 for upkeep costs to the instruments.</p><p> “I will be applying for another grant this coming school year because I should have 35 to 40 students in orchestra,” he said.</p><p> Before Jones received the grant money, he was paying for music supplies out of his own pocket. “There’s no extra pay or stipends for running the orchestra program. I just call it a love for teaching,” said Jones, who learned Spanish on his own so that he could teach six Spanish classes at the school.</p><p> When his co-worker became ill, Jones took over the program. “I’d never taken a strings course; I don’t play violin, cello or bass. “I concentrated in voice and piano at Emory & Henry, but, I was given the music education skills at Emory & Henry to be able to teach strings.”</p><p>  Jones also has organized a student choir at the school. “The first year I had 12 students in choir class, now I have 85 or more. I’m also adding a hand bells choir next year.”</p><p> Perhaps the most exciting news is that all of Jones’ orchestra students passed standardized tests this year, and 90 percent of his fifth-grade choir students passed the tests.</p><p> His work at the school seems never-ending.</p><p> Jones started after-school clubs at the school, one of which is a music memory academic club that meets once a week for third-through-fifth-grade students. “We study scores of classical pieces. They have to memorize and learn every piece, who wrote it, when they wrote it, and the names of large and small works,” he explained. His students entered a regional competition this year and nearly all of the students placed.</p><p> In addition, he received a grant to organize a year book club, allowing the school to publish its first year book in 30 years.</p><p> Jones is earning a second master’s degree from the University of Texas at San Antonio where he received the Presidential Scholarship from the College of Liberal and Fine Arts. He also received the Dashnell Endowment Scholarship for which he was the first elementary focus to receive.</p><p> He is being mentored by the nation’s leading expert on a Dalcroze Eurythmics at UTSA, a developmental approach to enhance musical expression and understanding for students of all ages.</p><p> He is an active member of the San Antonio Teachers’ Alliance (campus representative), the Texas State Teachers’ Association (regional and state delegate), the American Federation of Teachers, National Education Association, and the Texas Music Educators’ Association.  For two years, he has been a 2012 corps member for the San Antonio Region of Teach for America. </p><p> One of his best pieces of advice to future teachers:</p><blockquote> I teach my students how to be thinkers. I learned at Emory & Henry to be a thinker, not a follower or just a doer, but instead a thinker and a leader. And that’s what I want my students to learn.</blockquote></div><a href="/live/profiles/12-" class="link-with-arrow gold">Keep reading</a></div>
• <span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/13-" title="Sydney England" aria-label="Sydney England"><img src="/live/image/gid/2/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1000,666/22_fbd04c901271156159e4e275a5bf845f_f50561.rev.1490707796.jpg" alt="Sydney England" title="Sydney England" class="lw_image" width="345" height="225" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/2/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1000,666/22_fbd04c901271156159e4e275a5bf845f_f50561.rev.1490707796.jpg 2x" data-max-w="1000" data-max-h="666"/></a></span><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_profiles_headline"><a href="/live/profiles/13-"><p> Sydney England (’14) Receives Prestigious Fellowship Opportunity </p></a></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><p> She received the Armbrister Memorial Scholarship for freshmen honors and the Outstanding Senior Award from the Sociology Department. She was on the dean’s list all eight semesters while a student at Emory & Henry, and she graduated summa cum laude with college honors. She also was inducted into several national honor societies.</p><p> Is it any wonder that Sydney England is one of only two students throughout the country selected to receive the Jessie Ball duPont Fund Fellowship, providing a two-year period of work and study in philanthropy and charitable work?</p><p> England, a 2014 graduate of Emory & Henry College, was nominated by the college, which is among many liberal arts colleges and universities eligible for support from the Jessie DuPont Fund. England was selected from a large field of applicants.</p><blockquote> Dr. Joe Lane brought the fellowship opportunity to my attention. I don’t know if I ever fully set my sights on the fellowship because it always seemed like a long shot.Sydney EnglandClass of 2014</blockquote><p> The Jessie Ball duPont Fund Fellowship program, headquartered in Jacksonville, Fla., is designed to provide practical experience for students interested in careers with nonprofit, faith-based, or philanthropic organizations. As a fellow, England is exposed to foundation governance, grant making, governmental oversight, and industry events.</p><p> “Responsibilities shift daily, but primarily it’s a lot of research and grant management. The fellows are really there to support senior staffers with some of their project management and report preparation,” explained England.</p><p> “This fellowship will afford me an acute insight into the full life-cycle of a grant, from initial proposal to grant management and re-evaluation. It’s very rare to have the opportunity to see this grant maturation within a wide array of nonprofit organizations at my age and experience level,” she said.</p><p> “I’m really just hoping to develop a strong grant writing and nonprofit management portfolio and to engage in meaningful personal research during my two years at the Fund.”</p><p> England is among the fifth class of fellows at the Jessie Ball duPont Fund. Some of their predecessors work with the Peace Corps, religious organizations, and community-based nonprofits.</p><p> Her accomplishments at Emory & Henry are equally impressive.</p><p> The alumna doubled majored in sociology and history with a minor in women’s studies. “When I entered Emory & Henry, I was the conventional high-performing student who was primarily concerned with grades. If nothing else, E&H taught me that if you aren’t imagining beyond your goals, you aren’t giving yourself enough latitude to grow.”</p><p> While a student at Emory & Henry, England was a research assistant, and she also gained experience working for Terry McAuliffe’s campaign for governor in Virginia.</p><p> Her honors thesis was entitled “Check Here: A Critique of Normative Discursive Categorization within Survey Construction.” The premise of her research was to address some of the General Social Survey’s methodological limitations.</p><p> “I found that nominal and mutually-exclusive language, as it pertains to the General Social Survey categorization of sex, creates a false sense of normativeness within American society and harshly limits the accuracy of data when causal inferences link these two categories to various other demographic features within the data set. Ultimately, I created an alternative survey proposal that I hope will be adopted more frequently on campus.”</p><p> England said her experiences at Emory & Henry have enabled her to be a successful person, employee, and citizen.</p><p> “I feel the impact of my liberal arts education daily and in several dimensions. First, I often find myself willing to engage in critical, solutions-oriented dialogue, and I think that’s a direct result of the type of Socratic courses that you regularly find at Emory.</p><p> “Second, I’m acutely aware of the impact that place has on people, and this is really imperative when you’re in a workspace. I’m really aware of workplace dynamics and organizational core values. Those are really important to understand when you’re trying to figure out how you, the individual, fit into the structure. At Emory, we were constantly reminded of how people and place are inextricably connected.”</p></div><a href="/live/profiles/13-" class="link-with-arrow gold">Keep reading</a></div>
• <span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/874-laura-holley" title="Laura Holley" aria-label="Laura Holley"><img src="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1000,664/918_Laura_Holley_2.rev.1509131760.jpg" alt="Laura Holley" title="Laura Holley" class="lw_image" width="345" height="225" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,1000,664/918_Laura_Holley_2.rev.1509131760.jpg 2x" data-max-w="1000" data-max-h="664"/></a></span><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_profiles_headline"><a href="/live/profiles/874-laura-holley"><p> Laura Holley isn’t using her art skills as planned – but she’s bringing a lot of great talent to the National Park System!</p></a></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><p> Laura Holley Thomas is a long way from fashion magazines.</p><p> Laura (E&H ’10) majored in art and minored in environmental studies, and she’s finding the two disciplines to be a perfect match for the work she’s doing: a special 4-year long project that has her planning, researching, writing and designing trailhead and wayside exhibits for the entirety of Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota – all 110 square miles. “I’m using art, design, and the written word to communicate information about plants, animals, human culture, climate change, habitats, ecosystems, etc. Though, had I known there was more to graphic design than making fashion magazines (I kid you not. That’s what I really thought.) I might have taken more classes focused on digital art.”</p><p> Laura has been with the National Park Service for 5 years, all of which has been spent at Theodore Roosevelt. She began as a full-time volunteer (citing that volunteerism is something she saw emphasized at Emory & Henry). That led to several paid seasonal positions, and now to this current assignment. She says this is her dream job…“But, it’s temporary! So I’ll be moving on with another job or another project here or at another park. I’d like to make a career with the NPS, but gaining permanent status is difficult, so I’m keeping other options open.”</p><p> Her job experiences can’t be calculated within the confines of a resume. “Often I’ll get called away from my desk to help with whatever is going on in the park. We have a really small staff, so we all pitch in. I’ve helped return escaped bison to the park, assisted with elk reduction efforts, helped at bison roundups, helped with a prescribed burn, illustrated our new junior ranger book, led bird counts, helped plan our annual astronomy festival, done on-camera interviews with the media, gone on search and rescues, and so much more.”</p><p> And her current project to develop signage is more than busy work: it feeds into her core beliefs about the importance of National Parks. “My biggest concern is that the NPS will become irrelevant. We have to inspire each next generation to care for and about our American landscape and its history or we risk losing our relevancy. But staying relevant shouldn’t be difficult. Our parks speak for themselves. I’ve watched people look up and see the Milky Way for the first time. It’s something they (and I) will never forget. And they’ll remember that the clearest, darkest, most uninhibited sky they’ve ever seen was above a national park and they’ll understand why we protect this place. We just have to get people into their parks and make sure their experiences are meaningful and memorable. That’s what this signage project is all about. Hopefully the exhibits I create will inspire visitors to connect intellectually and emotionally with the park and its resources and turn those personal connections into active stewardship of this place and the public lands in their own communities.”</p><p> Laura’s experiences have run the gamut from wildlife management to designing websites and social media content. She even designed a special pictorial postmark to commemorate this year’s National Park Centennial (an honor stamp aficionados can appreciate). And she admits that some of the skills she’s using now were learned in E&H classes she didn’t think were all that important. “In my first few seasons as a ranger I was writing and presenting interpretive programs (tours, guided hikes, campfire talks, etc.). I leaned heavily on what I learned in speech class which I would absolutely never have signed up for had it not been mandatory!”</p><p> If you find yourself in Theodore Roosevelt National Park, look for Ranger Laura…and certainly, look for her signs.</p><p>  </p><p><em><a href="https://www.ehc.edu/live/image/gid/68/height/815/919_Laura_Holley.jpg" class="lw_preview_image"><img width="611" height="815" alt="Laura Holley Thomas is shown here with her husband, Shawn, who is no longer a ranger, but is now ..." src="/live/image/gid/68/width/611/height/815/919_Laura_Holley.rev.1509131808.jpg" class="lw_image lw_image919 lw_align_left lw_column_width_half" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/611/height/815/919_Laura_Holley.rev.1509131808.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/68/width/611/height/815/919_Laura_Holley.rev.1509131808.jpg 3x" data-max-w="1944" data-max-h="2592"/></a>Photo, left: Laura Holley Thomas is shown here with her husband, Shawn, who is no longer a ranger, but is now a deputy.</em></p><p>  </p><p> Submitted October 25, 2016</p></div><a href="/live/profiles/874-laura-holley" class="link-with-arrow gold">Keep reading</a></div>
• <span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/2554-jess-daddio" title="Jess Daddio" aria-label="Jess Daddio"><img src="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/417,0,1781,1365/6047_53503806_306647530022179_877872142568390656_n.rev.1552061143.jpg" alt="Jess Daddio" title="Jess Daddio" class="lw_image" width="345" height="225" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/417,0,1781,1365/6047_53503806_306647530022179_877872142568390656_n.rev.1552061143.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/417,0,1781,1365/6047_53503806_306647530022179_877872142568390656_n.rev.1552061143.jpg 3x" data-max-w="2048" data-max-h="1365"/></a></span><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_profiles_headline"><a href="/live/profiles/2554-jess-daddio"><p> Jess Daddio, E&H ’13 – always working, but she’s not likely to be found in an office.</p></a></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><p><a href="https://www.ehc.edu/live/image/gid/68/width/1000/6048_54049565_992585280938743_4455543676382216192_n.jpg" class="lw_preview_image"><img width="1000" height="667" alt="Jess Daddio, E&H Class of 2013." src="/live/image/gid/68/width/1000/height/667/6048_54049565_992585280938743_4455543676382216192_n.rev.1552061210.jpg" class="lw_image lw_image6048 lw_align_left lw_column_width_full" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/1000/height/667/6048_54049565_992585280938743_4455543676382216192_n.rev.1552061210.jpg 2x" data-max-w="2048" data-max-h="1365"/></a>Jess Daddio is a freelance photographer, videographer, and journalist.</p><p> She is the former travel editor for Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine. She is a regular contributor to the REI Co-op Journal, and her articles have appeared in Outdoor Retailer Magazine, Elevation Outdoors Magazine, and the Matador Network.</p><p> Some of her most recent commercial clients include IMBA Trail Solutions, Farm to Feet, Harrisonburg Tourism, and Sigora Solar.</p><p> Jess says her mentors at Emory & Henry prepared her for the work she is doing today. “My teachers at E&H taught me much more than their syllabi suggested. Through their unconditional support and guidance, I learned that it’s not enough to dream big. You have to put in the hard work, you have to flounder, you have to fail, and still you have to show up day in and day out in order to make that dream become reality. Without them, I wouldn’t be where I am today.”</p><p> Jess is a 2013 graduate of E&H. When she’s not behind the camera, she can usually be found playing in the woods by bike or by foot. You can learn more about her at <a href="https://www.jessdaddio.com/?fbclid=IwAR32MgacNSYJLwEFhparqrr0UmbfUBMCB07PSKSbYDh8K2JvLu1XKAqa_oY" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" data-lynx-mode="hover" data-lynx-uri="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.jessdaddio.com%2F%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR32MgacNSYJLwEFhparqrr0UmbfUBMCB07PSKSbYDh8K2JvLu1XKAqa_oY&h=AT25wmqp3vyjyzjMKWiiUY_x5n5o_dIscoK7qbMnii3tDcUkd1LzWh5u-ZQIJ3q0NDC7J17kaNROxXR3WGcTIM0fFbGXzcz7pfo7smkI2PBdEeylIgY2vczfrAEqJ7CDaa0">https://www.jessdaddio.com/</a>. </p></div><a href="/live/profiles/2554-jess-daddio" class="link-with-arrow gold">Keep reading</a></div>
• <span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/1954-scott-sikes" title="Scott Sikes" aria-label="Scott Sikes"><img src="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,21,867,888/3489_Scott_Headshot.rev.1520632128.jpg" alt="Scott Sikes" title="Scott Sikes" class="lw_image" width="345" height="225" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,21,867,888/3489_Scott_Headshot.rev.1520632128.jpg 2x" data-max-w="867" data-max-h="910"/></a></span><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_profiles_headline"><a href="/live/profiles/1954-scott-sikes"><p> Scott Sikes is a Senior Sales Representative for W.W. Norton Publishing.</p></a></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><div> Scott was a Senior Sales Representative for W.W. Norton Publishing, but now he is serving in the Emory & Henry Appalachian Center. He is a PhD candidate pursuing a degree in Communication and Information at the University of Tennessee. <br/><br/> A busy community advocate, Scott recently finished his stint as president of the E&H Alumni Board of Directors and has been president of the board for Abingdon Main Street. He serves on the board for the Highlands Educational Literacy Program, and is active in the Washington County Rotary Club.<br/><br/> Scott takes pride in having been a Bonner Scholar and was a first-generation college student.<br/><br/> “Being active and involved in my community is definitely a value instilled in me at Emory & Henry, and my experience as a student there helped me understand that citizenship is about taking an active role; I also learned from so many of my professors the importance of simply being a good neighbor; I particularly want to give back to the College out of the tremendous appreciation for the role it played in shaping my life.”</div></div><a href="/live/profiles/1954-scott-sikes" class="link-with-arrow gold">Keep reading</a></div>
• <span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/1430-becky-kurtz" title="Becky Kurtz" aria-label="Becky Kurtz"><img src="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,232,216/741_kurtz.rev.1507059839.jpg" alt="Becky Kurtz" title="Becky Kurtz" class="lw_image" width="345" height="225" data-max-w="232" data-max-h="216"/></a></span><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_profiles_headline"><a href="/live/profiles/1430-becky-kurtz"><p> Kurtz is manager of the Atlanta’s Aging & Health Resources Division.</p></a></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><p> After a successful stint in the office of U.S. Administration for Community Living, where she served as Director of the Office of Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program, Becky Kurtz is now back in Georgia.</p><div class="m_-8668633278848088304m_-3351044740351875199m_-7072934309234766291gmail-m_8690036448639047984gmail-formattedContent" id="m_-8668633278848088304m_-3351044740351875199m_-7072934309234766291gmail-m_8690036448639047984gmail-ctl01_formattedContent"><div class="m_-8668633278848088304m_-3351044740351875199m_-7072934309234766291gmail-m_8690036448639047984gmail-formattedContent-container" id="m_-8668633278848088304m_-3351044740351875199m_-7072934309234766291gmail-m_8690036448639047984gmail-ctl01_formattedContent_ctl00"><p> IN March, 2017, the Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) named <span class="il">Becky</span> <span class="il">Kurtz</span> manager of the agency’s Aging & Health Resources Division. <span class="il">Kurtz. She </span>will also serve as the Director of the Atlanta Area Agency on Aging (AAA). <br/><br/> At ARC, <span class="il">Kurtz </span>leads a team of 50 professionals who plan and provide comprehensive services to address the needs of the Atlanta region’s rapidly growing population of older adults and individuals with disabilities. As the Atlanta AAA Director, <span class="il">Kurtz</span> manages the allocation of more than $22 million in federal, state and grant funds annually to community-based organizations and local governments that provide direct services to older adults, persons with disabilities, and their families.<br/><br/><span class="il">Kurtz</span> has been a leader in aging issues at both the federal and state levels. She went to ARC from the U.S. Administration for Community Living, where she served as Director of the Office of Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program. In this role, she worked to enhance the health, safety and welfare of long-term care facility residents and helped states carry out effective ombudsman programs.  <br/><br/> Previously, she spent 16 years as Georgia’s Long-Term Care Ombudsman and served on the leadership team of the Georgia Division of Aging Services.  She also held leadership roles with the National Association of State Long-Term Care Ombudsman Programs, including a term as president. <br/><br/> A native of western North Carolina, <span class="il">Becky</span> is also a graduate of Columbia University School of Law. </p><p>   </p></div></div></div><a href="/live/profiles/1430-becky-kurtz" class="link-with-arrow gold">Keep reading</a></div>
• <span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/1916-eric-scott" title="Eric Scott" aria-label="Eric Scott"><img src="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,11,312,323/3451_eric_scott_4.rev.1520287120.jpg" alt="Eric Scott" title="Eric Scott" class="lw_image" width="345" height="225" data-max-w="312" data-max-h="478"/></a></span><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_profiles_headline"><a href="/live/profiles/1916-eric-scott"><p> Eric Scott is an Emmy award-winning photojournalist for WJZ-TV, channel 13, a CBS owned-and-operated station in Baltimore, Maryland.</p></a></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><p> Eric Scott is an Emmy award-winning photojournalist for WJZ-TV, channel 13, a CBS owned-and-operated station in Baltimore, Maryland.</p><p>  </p><p> As a photographer for the TV newsroom, Scott is prepared to shoot multiple stories each day – everything from a news conference, to a school play, to a crime scene.</p><p> “I’ve covered every kind of story you can imagine,” he said. “I cover politics, crime, riots, sports events, you name it. I’m the reporter <em>behind</em> the camera. I tell stories with video.”</p><p> Along with the day-to-day assignments, Scott has experienced many “wow moments” during his career. He’s met presidents, vice presidents, mayors and governors. In 1998, he covered the Olympics in Japan. A year later, he traveled to Havana, Cuba when the Baltimore Orioles played the Cuban All-Stars in an exhibition game.</p><p> He’s worked on assignment with the military reserves at Camp Pendleton in California.</p><p> “My job is similar to a classroom. I meet new people and learn new things every day. It gives me a completely different view of the world.”</p><p> From time to time, his video clips make it to the CBS Evening News and CNN broadcasts. “For example, if they’re doing a story on the weather throughout the country, I may see some of my work on the national news.”</p><p> Scott said he shot the footage for a reporter at the Baltimore news station who won an Emmy for her investigative reporting. “But, the best story I’ve ever done was watching a baby being born. It was for a new-age dad story. I see death a lot in my work, but seeing new life was something different for me.”</p><p> Scott knew he wanted a career in the media as early as high school. “As a basketball player, I was always interested in sports. I thought I wanted to be a sports anchor, but I had no idea the path God would lead me to,” he said.</p><p> “I fell in love with photojournalism as a student intern at WCYB-TV in Bristol, and I forgot all about being in front of the camera. The first time I saw my video air on a broadcast, I fell in love with it because everyone got to see how I created it. That hooked me.”</p><p> After graduating from Emory & Henry, Scott went to work as a manager of circulation for a newspaper in South Carolina. “I never quit anything in my life, but the job was not for me.”</p><p> Scott accepted a photographer position at WCYB-TV while visiting friends in the region. When he was offered a job at Virginia Beach more than a year later, he moved again. Known for his creative work, he later was offered a position at the TV station in Baltimore where he has worked for the past 22 years.</p><p> “And, the rest is history as they say.”</p><p> Scott said his college education taught him many things, including independence and decision-making. He’s never forgotten about making a D grade in a Mass Communications class taught by Dr. Teresa Keller.</p><p>  “It was the only D I made at Emory & Henry. She said I could do better and I set out to prove her right. Dr. Keller became a mentor and friend. To this very day she still is someone I communicate with regularly and consider a member of my family,” he said.</p><p> “The late Coach Bob Johnson was another influence on my development. Discipline, detail, accountability, promptness, leadership, and love of my school and country were powerful things I learned from him.”</p><p> Scott said his greatest honor at Emory & Henry was being the co-captain for the men’s basketball team. “During my senior year we finished 16th in the nation.”</p></div><a href="/live/profiles/1916-eric-scott" class="link-with-arrow gold">Keep reading</a></div>
• <span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/853-tess-teasley-and-zach-triplett" title="Tess Teasley Zach Triplett" aria-label="Tess Teasley Zach Triplett"><img src="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,500,500/859_teasley_triplett.rev.1507737965.jpg" alt="Tess Teasley and Zach Triplett" title="Tess Teasley and Zach Triplett" class="lw_image" width="345" height="225" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,500,500/859_teasley_triplett.rev.1507737965.jpg 2x" data-max-w="1000" data-max-h="500"/></a></span><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_profiles_headline"><a href="/live/profiles/853-tess-teasley-and-zach-triplett"><p> Tess and Zach are keeping the skies friendly!</p></a></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><p> If you talk with Tess Teasley or Zach Triplett, you’ll hear the same thing about their jobs: it is difficult, the hours are crazy, you have to be patient about working your way up the ladder – and neither would trade a minute of their hard work.</p><p>  </p><p> Tess is a pilot for GoJet, and Zach is a flight attendant for Delta. While the two haven’t met yet, they answer questions about their job with a very similar level of enthusiasm.</p><p>  Zach is now a Flight Attendant and Instructor in the In-Flight Service Learning Department at Delta Air Lines, and his primary job is teaching in the flight attendant training center in Atlanta. But he also works as a flight attendant approximately 6-8 days per month. In the training center he teaches a requalification course that all 20,000 Delta flight attendants are required to attend once per year, and he teaches the 7.5 week long initial class for new flight attendants.</p><p> Zach remembers the moment when he knew he loved his job.  He had been waiting on standby in case he needed to fill in for someone at the last minute. He got a call, and instead of sitting in an airport for 4 hours, he was suddenly whisking his way to Rome. “I spent the entire next day exploring the city. That evening, I sat by myself having a glass of wine and watching the sunset over the Tiber River. It was at this point I realized I’m extremely fortunate to have the job I have, and to love what I do!”</p><p> But getting to this point isn’t easy, and Zach emphasizes the need for commitment. “As a junior airline crew member (flight attendant or pilot), you are at the bottom of the seniority list. You have to be willing to work long, irregular hours, and be prepared to work weekends and holidays for the first few years you are doing the job. In my opinion, the benefits FAR outweigh the cons! We may have to work holidays, but on our off days we spend time exploring the world!”</p><p> Tess says much the same of her work, as well. Tess is a First Officer at GoJet airlines, and is second in command on a CRJ700 Jet for Delta Connection.  She hasn’t gotten to this status without a lot of hours in the air and on the ground, but her enthusiasm for the work is palpable. If you ask her about what she would say to anyone considering this career path, she says, “Do it! Go to the nearest airport and take an introductory flight lesson right now!”</p><p> She goes on to explain that she was hooked on flying at the end of her very first flight, but that was just the beginning of a long road that included hard work, study, hours of practice, lessons, and networking. “Networking is key. Meet anyone you can. Join pilot groups and organizations.”</p><p> Tess says she can’t point to one particular moment when she knew she loved her job, but her description of her of her work explains why she has been so willing to put in the long difficult hours to get where she is today. “I am reminded everyday how much I love my job. Every time I take the runway, advance the thrust levers and feel the powerful engines spool up, barrel down the runway hitting about 140 mph, pull back on the yoke and launch into the air, I am reminded how amazing my job is. Being able to see New York City all lit up on a clear crisp night is simply breathtaking. I never tire of looking out the window seeing amazing sunrises and sunsets. It is always an amazing view. Playing among the ever-changing clouds, seeing the snow-covered mountains in Yellowstone, coming into LaGuardia on a windy, bumpy night, having to work the plane all the way down and making a smooth landing, seeing loved ones reunited at airports, traveling and exploring many cities- I truly have a very amazing job that I love.”</p><p> Tess and Zach both say it’s a great time to consider a career in their respective fields. Zach says Delta is looking to hire around 2,000 new flight attendants next year, and Tess says there is going to be a big need for pilots in the coming year. And honestly, when have you recently heard this much enthusiasm about work?</p><p>  </p><p><em>Tess gets to meet a lot of interesting people in her work. Here she is meeting the music icon Meatloaf!<a href="https://www.ehc.edu/live/image/gid/68/width/650/890_IMG-1189.jpg" class="lw_preview_image"><img width="500" height="375" alt="Tess Teasley recently was the pilot when rocker Meatloaf was on the jet!" src="https://www.ehc.edu/live/image/gid/68/width/500/height/375/890_IMG-1189.jpg" class="lw_image lw_image890 lw_align_left lw_column_width_half" data-max-w="960" data-max-h="720"/></a></em></p><p>  </p><p><a href="https://www.ehc.edu/live/image/gid/68/width/650/874_IMG-2727.JPG" class="lw_preview_image"><img width="400" height="400" alt="Zach Triplett poses with 747" src="https://www.ehc.edu/live/image/gid/68/width/400/height/400/874_IMG-2727.JPG" class="lw_image lw_image874 lw_align_left lw_column_width_half" srcset="https://www.ehc.edu/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/400/height/400/874_IMG-2727.JPG 2x" data-max-w="1080" data-max-h="1080"/></a></p><p>  </p><p> Zach recently got to work on a 747 and he had a little fun with the experience!</p></div><a href="/live/profiles/853-tess-teasley-and-zach-triplett" class="link-with-arrow gold">Keep reading</a></div>
• <span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/2461-emma-sturgill" title="Emma Sturgill" aria-label="Emma Sturgill"><img src="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,960,960/5661_Emma_sturgill.rev.1542300590.jpg" alt="Emma Sturgill" title="Emma Sturgill" class="lw_image" width="345" height="225" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,960,960/5661_Emma_sturgill.rev.1542300590.jpg 2x" data-max-w="960" data-max-h="960"/></a></span><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_profiles_headline"><a href="/live/profiles/2461-emma-sturgill"><p> Emma Sturgill is a scientific researcher <em>and</em> an entrepreneur. </p></a></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><p> Emma Sturgill, PhD, graduated from the Emory & Henry College in 2009 with a degree in Biology. She continued her education at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, to study the activity of cytoskeletal proteins during cell division.  Upon obtaining her PhD in Cell Biology in 2014, Emma launched a biotechnology company, PurSolutions, LLC that specializes in protein manufacturing and self-assembling technologies. <br/><br/> PurSolutions, LLC is a startup biotechnology company located in Nashville that works to harness cytoskeletal proteins for self-assembly innovations and advancements in research. They operate under the premise that nature has devised the most powerful and efficient mechanisms imaginable, and work at the intersection of biology and engineering to harness natural phenomena for synthetic applications. They work to supply premium quality cytoskeletal proteins as easily accessible reagents and harness the cytoskeleton for self-assembling materials and devices.</p><p> Emma describes her work this way: “The ‘cytoskeleton’ is the cell’s internal skeleton.  It is made of protein building blocks that constantly rearrange in order to allow the cell to move and have shape.  At PurSolutions, we purify the individual protein building blocks away from the rest of the cell so that researchers can study them in isolation.  Researchers use our protein products to better understand the life of the cell and what goes wrong during human disease.”</p><p> She says she owes her fascination for cell biology to Emory & Henry. “Learning that the cell, the most basic unit of life, has molecular transport highways, power plants, assembly lines, and information data banks opened my eyes to the dynamic, microscopic world that is the center of human health and disease.  The emphasis that E&H places on the liberal arts and community service further encouraged me to work at the intersection of multiple disciplines, including entrepreneurship and education.”</p></div><a href="/live/profiles/2461-emma-sturgill" class="link-with-arrow gold">Keep reading</a></div>
• <span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/1433-toni-atkins" title="Toni Atkins" aria-label="Toni Atkins"><img src="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,56,800,857/2267_Toni_Atkins.rev.1516131104.jpg" alt="Toni Atkins" title="Toni Atkins" class="lw_image" width="345" height="225" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,56,800,857/2267_Toni_Atkins.rev.1516131104.jpg 2x" data-max-w="800" data-max-h="1054"/></a></span><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_profiles_headline"><a href="/live/profiles/1433-toni-atkins"><p> Toni Atkins is the leader of the California Senate – and is the first woman to hold this position.</p></a></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><p> Toni Atkins, E&H ’84, recently made history by becoming the first woman to serve as president pro Tempore of the California Senate.  She has served as interim Mayor of San Diego, and was Governor of California for nine hours in 2014 – making her California’s first openly gay governor, and it also landed her a spot on the Jimmy Kimmel talk show.</p><p>  </p><p> Below is an article by Lisa Renner written for Capitol Weekly in 2017:</p><p> State Sen. Toni Atkins has come a long way since she was a girl growing up poor without running water in rural Virginia.</p><p> This month, the San Diego lawmaker is set to replace Kevin de León as leader of the California Senate. She will be the first woman and first open lesbian to hold the position. She also will be the first person since the 19^th century to hold both of the Legislature’s top jobs – Assembly speaker and Senate leader.</p><blockquote><p> “She came with a sense of wanting to make a difference but didn’t think she could make a difference because of her background.” — Stephen Fisher </p></blockquote><p> Atkins, 55, is a real coal miner’s daughter who grew up in a house without indoor plumbing or running water, and her mother cooked on a wood stove, according to her college professor and close friend Stephen Fisher. When Atkins and her family moved to the city of Roanoke, she was teased for her hillbilly accent.</p><div id="div-gpt-ad-1395717372217-22_container" class="idm_ad_unit"/><p>  </p><p> Only two others have served as both Assembly speaker and Senate leader — Ransom Burnell (Assembly Speaker in 1861 and Senate pro Tem in 1864) and James T. Farley (Assembly speaker in 1856 and Senate pro Tem in 1871-1872), said Alex Vassar, author of <em>California Lawmaker: The Men and Women of the California State Legislature.</em></p><p> Fisher recalls that when she arrived at Emory & Henry College, where she ultimately majored in political science, she had a lot of “anger and shame” about her upbringing. “She came with a sense of wanting to make a difference but didn’t think she could make a difference because of her background,” he said.</p><p> But as she grew more comfortable, she became more confident in her skin. She was part of a group of students who asked Fisher to teach a course on feminism. He agreed if the students would help him create the course, including decided what texts do use and how the class would be structured. “It was a transformative experience for all of us,” he said, adding that Atkins wasn’t the only participant who went on to have great success in professional life.</p><p> Atkins also showed courage by helping arrange for a visit to campus by lesbian folk singer Holly Near in the early 1980s when the college “was not a safe place to come out in,” Fisher said.</p><blockquote><p> Atkins was elected to the state Assembly in 2010. becoming Speaker of the Assembly in 2014. </p></blockquote><p> But Fisher said he had no idea back then that Atkins would end up where she is now. “I knew that she was going to do well but I had no notion that she was going into public work.”</p><p> Atkins ended up continuing her education at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University before relocating to San Diego in 1985.</p><p> She initially served as director of clinic services of Womancare Health Center but soon began working for then San Diego City Councilmember Christine Kehoe, the city’s first openly gay elected official. Atkins’ first jump into elected office came on the San Diego City Council in 2000, when she replaced Kehoe after Kehoe moved on to the state Legislature.</p><p> Atkins was herself elected to the state Assembly in 2010. becoming Speaker of the Assembly in 2014.  She set her priorities as access to health care, affordable housing and educational opportunities.</p><p> Among her achievements was getting the bipartisan support for a $7.5 billion water bond approved by voters in 2014. “That was a clear example of her leadership because folks believed it could not be done,” said Assemblymember Shirley Weber of San Diego.</p><blockquote><p> “She has that coal miner’s daughter perspective that comes out of that environment.” — Shirley Weber </p></blockquote><p> Weber also credits Atkins with getting her to run for office. Weber was recently retired after a long career as a professor of Africana studies at San Diego State University when Atkins asked her to consider running for the Assembly.</p><p> When Weber won the election and joined the Assembly in 2012, it was Atkins who opened doors for her and helped her make the transition. “She said I will help you do this and she did,” Weber said. “Other people say I’ll help you and you can’t find them. They don’t do anything for you.”</p><p> Weber said she is impressed that Atkins has been able to rise so far while keeping her dignity and maintaining her integrity.</p><p> “She has that coal miner’s daughter perspective that comes out of that environment,” she said. “You don’t get out of that environment if you don’t take what you have, make it better, learn from strengths and minimize your weaknesses.”</p><p> Atkins was elected to the state Senate in 2016 and was able to get all 12 bills she sent to the governor, signed and approved. In her December newsletter, she said she is especially proud of Senate Bill 2, which creates a permanent funding source for affordable housing and Senate Bill 179, which requires the state to legally recognize “nonbinary” as a gender for people who do not identify as male or female.</p><p> Rick Zbur, executive director for Equality California, said Atkins is one of the best advocates for the state’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer community. He applauded her upcoming advance to leadership of the senate.</p><p> “It’s important that she has shattered yet another glass ceiling,” he said. “These kinds of achievements are important for LBGTQ people because we have been historically underrepresented in government.”</p><p> Through it all, she remembers her Virginia roots. She invited Cameron Chase, a 20-year-old Emory & Henry student, to Sacramento for a three-week internship with her earlier this year. “Sen. Atkins is literally so down to earth and so kind and generous,” he said.</p><p> In a 2014 statement to the Washington Post, Atkins reflected on her rise from poverty to high office in California. “What that says about our opportunities as Americans and our democracy is profound.”</p></div><a href="/live/profiles/1433-toni-atkins" class="link-with-arrow gold">Keep reading</a></div>
• <span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/838-matt-reedy" title="Matt Reedy" aria-label="Matt Reedy"><img src="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,0,309,309/727_Matt_Reedy.rev.1506974745.png" alt="Matt Reedy" title="Matt Reedy" class="lw_image" width="345" height="225" data-max-w="309" data-max-h="309"/></a></span><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_profiles_headline"><a href="/live/profiles/838-matt-reedy"><p> We don’t often get to meet a real live hero. So, meet Matt Reedy!</p></a></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><p style="text-align: left;" align="center"> Matt Reedy (’00) was one of only ten people in the country chosen as a 2017 Community Hero by the ICMA.</p><p style="text-align: left;" align="center"><br/> The award was presented by the International City/County Management Association (ICMA). Matt is the Recreation Manager of Centers, Camps, Programs, and Youth Advisory Board for the City of Oak Ridge,Tennessee.</p><p style="text-align: left;" align="center"><br/> The award is part of ICMA’s “Life Well Run” initiative that intends to spotlight local government officials for outstanding work done ethically, efficiently, and effectively. </p><p style="text-align: left;" align="center"><br/> According to the press release, a member of Matt’s Youth Advisory Board had particularly great things to say about his work for the Oak Ridge community:  “As a mentor, Matt believes in each board member more than they believe in themselves… he is always eager to turn the hushed, half-hearted suggestion of a quiet student into action.”<br/><br/></p><p> Matt has been with the City of Oak Ridge for 11 years, and part of his work is making sure local youth learn about governmental processes through participation and service. <br/><br/> Watch for news of a video that ICMA will be making about Matt’s work and his award. Read more about the Community Heroes and the Life, Well Run initiative at ICMA’s website: <a href="http://lifewellrun.org/lwr-recognizes-community-heroes/">lifewellrun.org/lwr-recognizes-community-heroes/</a>.</p></div><a href="/live/profiles/838-matt-reedy" class="link-with-arrow gold">Keep reading</a></div>
• <span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/1946-brooklyn-sawyers-belk" title="Brooklyn Belk" aria-label="Brooklyn Belk"><img src="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,28,347,376/3466_BrooklynSawyersBelk.rev.1520453426.jpg" alt="Brooklyn Sawyers Belk" title="Brooklyn Sawyers Belk" class="lw_image" width="345" height="225" data-max-w="347" data-max-h="495"/></a></span><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_profiles_headline"><a href="/live/profiles/1946-brooklyn-sawyers-belk"><p> Brooklyn Sawyers Belk is an Assistant United States Attorney for the Department of Justice, United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Tennessee.</p></a></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><p> Brooklyn Sawyers Belk is an Assistant United States Attorney for the Department of Justice, United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Tennessee.  Sawyers Belk was admitted to the United States Supreme Court bar in November 2015. She is also an adjunct professor at the University of Tennessee (UT) College of Law, where she teaches trial practice and interviewing and counseling. Additionally, she teaches a host of undergraduate history and pre-law courses. <br/><br/> Sawyers Belk graduated from Emory & Henry College in 2002 and serves on the College’s Board of Trustees. She obtained a Master of Arts degree in history in 2004 from East Tennessee State University and is a 2006 graduate of the UT College of Law. She resides in Knoxville with her husband, Lamont Belk, who practices civil law for the Tennessee Valley Authority. They have a daughter, Tressany, and a son, Joseph Matthew. </p></div><a href="/live/profiles/1946-brooklyn-sawyers-belk" class="link-with-arrow gold">Keep reading</a></div>
• <span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/2306-cathy-bottrell" title="Cathy Bottrell" aria-label="Cathy Bottrell"><img src="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,8,214,222/4535_41368297_705985249770551_4194188508329410560_n.rev.1536365207.jpg" alt="Cathy Bottrell" title="Cathy Bottrell" class="lw_image" width="345" height="225" data-max-w="214" data-max-h="320"/></a></span><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_profiles_headline"><a href="/live/profiles/2306-cathy-bottrell"><p> Cathy Bottrell doesn’t wear a cape: but her work with families facing cancer is super.</p></a></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><p> Look at Cathy Bottrell’s Facebook photos and you’ll see a woman who takes her job <strong><em>very</em></strong> seriously;  there are pictures of her posing with fairy princesses, welcoming Storm Troopers, wearing pajamas to the office, dressed like a super hero, and doing a dance routine with a rolling office chair.</p><p> Cathy doesn’t work at a theme park: she works for the Inova Life with Cancer Center.</p><p> Inova offers a raft of free programming for individuals and families who are facing cancer, and Cathy is involved at every level to do her part to add simplicity to bureaucracy and lend guidance in what can be a stressful world of treatments.  She is a licensed clinical social worker who spent 8 years working with HIV patients, and now finds herself helping families maneuver complicated systems of health care while also finding time for the joys of life. Focusing on cancer treatment while also trying to maintain positive outlook can be tricky; Cathy’s work intervenes to help maintain a healthy balance.</p><p> She’s an oncology clinical therapist at Inova Life with Cancer - Inova Schar Cancer Institute – a large facility with 40 employees. They have a family center that is a like a large home where cancer patients can learn how to deal with cancer from day to day while also maintaining quality of life for their families.</p><p><a href="https://www.ehc.edu/live/image/gid/68/height/530/src_region/0,226,504,894/4532_Cathy_Botrell.jpg" class="lw_preview_image"><img width="400" height="530" alt="Cathy Botrell will go to extremes to cheer up her friends at work: even if it means dressing like..." src="/live/image/gid/68/width/400/height/530/crop/1/src_region/0,226,504,894/4532_Cathy_Botrell.rev.1536350726.jpg" class="lw_image lw_image4532 lw_align_left lw_column_width_half" data-max-w="720" data-max-h="960"/></a>Much of Cathy’s work is with children – hence all the princesses and storm troopers – and that can be difficult; but Cathy doesn’t let the sadness keep her away from the people she loves to serve. “The families I work with show me the strength of love and compassion and how strong and brave people can be. I’m so honored to be a part of their journey during their difficult times.”</p><p> So if you see Cathy headed to work wearing a funny mask or a cape, don’t be surprised. Just know that she’s on her way to the office – where she performs acts of heroic goodness, all in a day’s work.</p></div><a href="/live/profiles/2306-cathy-bottrell" class="link-with-arrow gold">Keep reading</a></div>
• <span class="lw_item_thumb"><a href="/live/profiles/2582-abby-hathorn" title="Abby Hathorn" aria-label="Abby Hathorn"><img src="/live/image/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,185,1326,1510/6069_53294665_1229786347177427_5300967083331289088_n.rev.1553045627.jpg" alt="Abby Hathorn" title="Abby Hathorn" class="lw_image" width="345" height="225" srcset="/live/image/scale/2x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,185,1326,1510/6069_53294665_1229786347177427_5300967083331289088_n.rev.1553045627.jpg 2x, /live/image/scale/3x/gid/68/width/345/height/225/crop/1/src_region/0,185,1326,1510/6069_53294665_1229786347177427_5300967083331289088_n.rev.1553045627.jpg 3x" data-max-w="1472" data-max-h="2208"/></a></span><div class="lw_widget_text"><h4 class="lw_profiles_headline"><a href="/live/profiles/2582-abby-hathorn"><p> Abby Hathorn is a Social Media Influencer Specialist.</p></a></h4><div class="lw_profiles_description"><p> Spend five minutes with Abby Hathorn and you will find yourself completely captivated by the world of sunscreen. “There’s a lot more to sunscreen than people realize…and more than even I realized before I took this job!”</p><p> Abby is the Social Media Influencer Specialist for Crown Laboratories, and works primarily with Blue Lizard Australian Sunscreen and PanOxyl. “I work hands-on with influencers on social media and bloggers to create campaigns focused around a specific brand or product. I build and manage these campaigns by strategically recruiting professional bloggers and content writers with traits and engagement statistics that match brand standards and consumer profiles. The goal of these campaigns is to enhance Internet and social-media chatter about a specific product (or products) while also generating revenue growth–often from new demographics.”</p><p> She also gets to  create the graphic design and content-work associated with influencer campaigns – items like the fliers, personalized coupon templates, package inserts, and informational “E-Packets.” “E-Packets are my unique way of ensuring that  partners and ambassadors have the information and checklists needed to properly execute clearly written content and sharp photos that the consumer brands can promote and re-use in social media posts and inbound marketing promotions.”</p><p> Abby isn’t only about marketing and social media: she is intensely well-versed about the product line she’s been hired to promote – and can weave a great description of Blue Lizard’s Australian roots and their commitment to ingredients that won’t do damage to humans or the coral reef.</p><p> The Mass Communications graduate is grateful to former profs like Dr. Teresa Keller, Dr. Mark Finney, and Brent Treash and says her breadth of experience in college has given her flexibility for the work she’s doing now. “Because the Mass Communications program isn’t focused on just one skill set, I was able to learn about marketing before I realized that was the world I would be entering. I was very broadcasting/television focused at E&H as a student; however, I was able to change and adapt after college because I had had classes in social media, marketing and graphic design on top of participating in EHCTV, WEHC 90.7, and electronic media courses.”</p><p> Now she’s learning literally every facet of the work done by her employer and the elements needed to make their products successful. She is writing, blogging, photographing, emailing, and doing a lot of communicating….talking to customers, talking with other marketing partners, talking to people all over the United States. “Being a Mass Communications graduate, it’s obvious I love, love love to communicate!”</p><p> “Overall, this job is teaching me to appreciate every step and every person involved in a company–big or small. From marketing to the lab to the warehouse, every job is important. The marketing staffers recently got recruited to to add neck-tie labels to about 6,000 tubes of sunscreen! Sometimes duty calls: we are a small and growing team, so there has to be willingness to adapt to what’s needed to be done.”</p><p>  </p><p> Abby is another E&H grad who has completed her college days with self-confidence and a unique set of skills. “Emory & Henry College prepared me in so many ways. I was able to soar outside of the walls of Emory & Henry–which I think is every senior’s deathly fear after being involved in such a close-knit community for years.”</p><p>  </p><p><a href="https://www.ehc.edu/live/image/gid/68/width/1000/6070_53817009_2293269727602631_4509757811609042944_n.jpg" class="lw_preview_image"><img width="1000" height="370" alt="Abby Hathorn and a coworker doing photography for Blue Lizard Sunscreen promotions." src="/live/image/gid/68/width/1000/height/370/6070_53817009_2293269727602631_4509757811609042944_n.rev.1553045902.jpg" class="lw_image lw_image6070 lw_align_left lw_column_width_full" data-max-w="851" data-max-h="315"/><span class="lw_image_caption lw_column_width_full lw_align_left" style="width: 1000px">Abby Hathorn and a coworker doing photography for Blue Lizard Sunscreen promotions.</span></a></p></div><a href="/live/profiles/2582-abby-hathorn" class="link-with-arrow gold">Keep reading</a></div>