From the time I was a young girl, I immersed myself in the written word. After bedtime, I could be found in my room, with a small bedside lamp on, reading far into the night. Mostly I consumed mysteries. I love a good "whodunnit?" 

In my youth, I remember writing, drawing and designing newspapers. I would include stories about my friends, and use drawings in place of photos. Eventually, I took photojournalism in high school, followed by journalism class. 

For me, writing, photography and design are intertwined. 

Throughout the years I've worked at newspapers around the state of Kansas. I understand the power of a photograph, but also the ability of a strong design to further that story. And the written word. How I love writing! 

I spent almost 5 years writing, designing and photographing ... all to produce a newspaper for the Catholic church in my region. I loved it! Being able to tell stories, and using my photographic skills in tandem was a dream.

What I most enjoyed was when I felt like what I was doing made a difference. The most memorable experience was writing about local Kansas farmers' participation in an international, pilot farming mentoring program. The parent company provided sponsorship for basic needs of farmers in Africa, and within two weeks of the story's publication, the religious sister received the much-needed money so she could buy a corn sheller. It was such a small, simple need, but it was met by the generosity of those who read the words I placed on a page. 

Karen: