Read highlights of my professional and academic experience below.
Work Experience
I am a digital journalist with about 10 years of experience. Since August 2015, I’ve been working at the Voice of America, where I produce, write, edit and report news stories for radio, video, online and social media in English, Amharic and Tigrigna. I serve as a subject matter expert on African issues with appearances on various TV and radio programs and I also produce data-driven journalism on VOA’s special projects section, a space for in-depth storytelling projects.
From 2012 to 2014, I was a writer at Tampa Bay Business Journal/American City Business Journals. I produced in-depth feature stories for the business journal and wrote “Morning Edition,” a five-times-a-week newsletter about business developments in the Tampa Bay area.
Prior to that, I was an anchor for Newsy.com, an online news site and hosted Global Journalist, a radio show on international news with panels of journalists at the Missouri School of Journalism. I served as a board member at Columbia Access Television, the local community TV station in Columbia, Missouri. Additionally, I volunteered and hosted music shows and worked on news programs and public service announcements at the local radio station, KOPN.
I’m the Founder and Editor of Africa-Talks.com, a multimedia website about Africa and its global diaspora. I produce multimedia content including video, audio, and photos.
From 2004 to 2007, I was an On-Air Reporter/Anchor for the English News Department at Eri-TV, a state-owned television station in Eritrea. I anchored English news broadcasts for local and international satellite audiences. I also edited and produced documentaries; translated (from Tigrigna to English) and edited the daily local and international news.
Education
I have a Master’s in Journalism and Media Studies from the University of South Florida St. Petersburg.
I completed non-degree graduate-level classes at the University of Missouri’s School of Journalism.
I also have a BA in Journalism and Mass Communications from the University of Asmara in Eritrea.