My name is Danielle and I love to write. But I didn’t always know that I would do it for a living. At first I thought I wanted to be a human rights attorney. So I went to London to study at the School of Oriental and African Studies where I got a Master’s degree in international law. But a career in law was not for me. That’s when I returned to the states and began working as a freelance newspaper reporter in Jackson, Wyoming. I loved it and the words came to me easily so I decided to attend the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism in New York City. That hectic year studying for my second Master’s was exhausting but exhilarating and it left me hungry to see what a life in journalism could yield. 

After graduating with honors and an award for national affairs reporting, I took up the education beat for a small daily paper in New Jersey. There I really learned to meet and beat deadlines, cultivate sources, and gather gold in my notebooks.

I left that position to launch my freelance career, one that eventually took me all over the world. I chased stories about human rights in places like India, Liberia, the Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Nepal, Indonesia, Libya, and El Salvador. I went to some of the most remote corners of the world – places where there are no roads, let alone electricity, running water or any kind of cell phone service. I visited communities mired in conflict and those struggling to overcome it. I spent time with people bucking western norms and charting their own unique paths. I met adults and children alike whose lives were nothing like my own but with whom I found remarkable connections. It was thrilling, fascinating, and sometimes really, really challenging. I saw intense suffering and joy, awe-inspiring courage and profound acts of humanity. I savored it.  

And then I turned my attention to those same topics of social justice here in the US. One of my favorite pieces was about the challenges low-income parents face trying to find some work-life balance. It was an eye-opening piece about how fleeting any semblance of financial security is for those on the margins. As the headline says: one sick kid can spell disaster.

When I became pregnant with my daughter in 2015 I decided to move back to Jackson permanently to raise her among the mountains and wild spaces. Previously, I had split time between Jackson and New York. We ski and hike, bike and camp and are serious travel buddies. “When are we going to the airport?” is her favorite question. 

Professionally, I now work as an editor and writer of all sorts. One of the gigs I enjoy is writing speeches. I’ve written eulogies, toasts for fathers of the bride and maids of honor and even one speech for a grandmother celebrating her granddaughter’s bat mitzvah. I also love helping advocacy organizations and other businesses get their message out to the public through newspaper op-eds. My other work includes writing and editing website copy, newsletters, email campaigns, marketing materials, case studies and more. It’s tons of fun to do. And I am a managing editor for a content marketing company in New York City. There I manage freelance writers, edit their stories and help companies build their brands through great content and storytelling. On occasion, and because I am ever curious, I’m still fortunate to get the chance to report and write a magazine or newspaper story as well.

I’ve got many more pages to write and, perhaps, some of them will be for you. If you’re interested in working with me, please be in touch. I’d love to hear from you. You can also check out my resume here.

Cheers, Danielle