Professionally, I am proud that I have a skill that not everyone possesses – the ability to sniff and coax out, write and share a good story. That skill was honed in my 15 years as a print journalist and has served me well in every aspect of my life. The ability to engage with people from all walks of life and get them to entrust me with their story and their words is both challenging and rewarding.

Personally, I am proud of my husband, Michael, and my two kiddos, Michaela, 5, and Benjamin, 1. They inspire and amaze me daily.

I have always admired people who speak their minds. Of course, tact is always a good trait, but I’ve always admired a person who, as my dad used to put it, can “say what they mean and mean what they say.” You always know where you stand with that sort of person. I also admire people who do the right thing even if it’s not popular or noticed. Other than that, humility and humor are always wonderful traits.

I must say my parents are my heroes. Co-pastors of a church in my hometown Elizabethtown, they did a fabulous job raising 11 children – me, my 9 brothers and my sister. They taught me that every living being deserves respect, that you should work hard and play equally as hard and that wealth is measured in happiness and not possessions. They taught us the importance of getting a good education, and to their tribute, their children collectively hold multiple bachelor’s degrees, three master’s degrees and a doctorate to date. As the oldest of 11 children, I learned to be fiercely independent, a relentless negotiator, a compassionate mediator and a good listener, all traits that have served me well.

Anything I can do with my family is a guaranteed good time. I am also a reality-show junkie, and I love reading legal thrillers.