Professional Experience

July 2018 to present: Reporter, WINK News. Previously worked as a resident reporter at WVVA in Bluefield, W.Va.; at ABC 7 Chicago as a news planning intern; at Dateline NBC as a story development intern; and at the Northwestern University's Medill Justice Project as a multimedia investigative reporter.

Awards & Recognition

Hearst Foundation Journalism Award for Enterprise Reporting.

Assistant produced 2-hour, Dateline episode hosted by Keith Morrison, “At the Bottom of the Pool,” aired Oct. 13, 2017.

Kappa Tau Alpha National Honor Society - lifelong membership exclusively for students in top 10 percent of their graduating class in journalism programs across the country.

National QuestBridge Scholar - awarded to the country's most talented, determined, and self-motivated students from low-income populations who demonstrate outstanding academic ability despite financial challenges.

News Philosophy

We consume news when we are gripped by the emotions making us all human — these are the stories that knock us off our feet. Tell the stories not easily seen that must be experienced through the emotions we all feel.

Hobbies, Interests & Community Involvement

Running and cycling! I love all of the fitness-inspired events South West Florida holds to benefit others.

Education

Bachelor of Science in Journalism, Northwestern University, Medill School of Journalism, Magna Cum Laude.

Likes best about Southwest Florida

I am so grateful for the hundreds of days you can spend outdoors with friends and family.

Hometown 

Keystone Heights, Florida.

Ryan O'Leary and Sheila O'Leary. (Credit Lee County Sheriff's Office.)

Cape Toddler’s Death: Attorney says child services has trouble tracking families

The mother and father of an 18-month-old boy were arrested for his untimely death due to starvation in Cape Coral recently. The mother was already on the radar of social services in Virginia. And an attorney we spoke to said it’s hard for child services nationwide to track families who are constantly moving across state […]

Boy Scouts of America. (Credit: AP)

Boy Scout sexual abuse exposed in Charlotte County

WINK News has pieced together some of the links between accusations of sexually abused children in Southwest Florida from the Boy Scouts of America and dozens up north. William Sheehan taught school in San Carlos Park and was a camp counselor in Charlotte County. We have confirmed on Wednesday that he lost his teaching certificate […]

Your power company could be charging you for projects with no details

With Governor Ron DeSantis’ support — the state gave power companies the legal right to charge customers for what they call storm hardening projects. For example, burying power lines, so when hurricanes strike — the lights stay on. Late Tuesday afternoon, state regulators rubber-stamped a rule for Florida power companies to improve infrastructure. But, Charles […]

Open enrollment is now open, area organizations ready to help

Quality, affordable health care can be the key to making ends meet and taking care of your family. Open enrollment began Friday if you want to buy health insurance or upgrade your current plan. According to the Department of Health and Human Services, premiums are down 4% from last year. This year, Florida gained two […]

High school football game. (Credit: WINK News)

State denies appeal reinstating wins of a Cape high school football team

Oasis High School will finish the football season with three extra losses. Since the state did not allow a player for the high school to play, it will not give the team those wins back despite its pleas. But the Cape Coral Charter Authority and Oasis High School appealed, which was denied. In a letter […]

Family of victim in gruesome Bonita Springs murder seeks justice

It has been two years since the murder of a Bonita Springs woman. The father says the case is a “nightmare” and deputies need your help to solve it. For a dad to see a burned-out building, knowing his daughter was murdered inside is agonizing. “Stabs wounds, a hammer to the head,” he said. “Stuff […]

Walmart Supercenter at 14821 Six Mile Cypress Pkwy. informs customers of shortage on Monday, Oct. 28, 2019. (Credit: WINK News)

Is there a Dawn Dish Soap shortage?

Walmart expects a nationwide shortage of Dawn Dish Soap. But before you panic in the cleaning aisle, you should hear what Procter & Gamble has to say. “I’m preferential to Dawn,” Tom Bryan said. “We have used Dawn for a long time,” Trina Keller said. P&G, who produces the suds, said it had a brief […]

Cape Coral charter school football team forfeits games for use of ineligible player

A high school football team in Cape Coral suffered three losses this week, and they didn’t play a single game. The losses come following the school reporting that its team used an ineligible player on the field. There are likely to be more consequences the team and school will face. Oasis High School in Cape […]

FPL is asking customers to reimburse them for $274M spent during Hurricane Dorian

Dorian leveled the Bahamas as a Category 5 storm but never approached us in Southwest Florida. The outer bands whipped across the east coast, but the storm never made landfall. And yet, Florida Power and Light plans to ask its customers to pay hundreds of millions. The question is, for what? Gregory Cain of Fort […]

Fort Myers Beach residents concerned about impacts of red drift algae

Fort Myers Beach is full, but not with people—with red drift algae and the dead fish that have been washing up onshore. If you’re breathing all of that in, what’s the impact on your health? The smell is choking. The bunches of algae cover any sand to sit on. The good news is that it’s […]