Job: Night editor/social media editor.
Years at the Register: Almost three. I’ve worked for Gannett for seven years.
I grew up in: Rochester, Minnesota. I attended school in Stewartville, just south of Rochester.
I live in: The Bay View neighborhood in Milwaukee.
I graduated from: University of Wisconsin-River Falls (go Falcons)
Family: Most of my family (parents, older sister, twin brother) live in Minnesota. I’m lucky that my younger sister also lives in Milwaukee. I share an apartment with a 5-year-old cat named Mayonnaise.
Email: nhowell@gannett.com
Why journalism? I have always loved writing. When I was in high school, I was lucky enough to become a teen columnist for the Rochester Post-Bulletin, which ignited my love for print journalism. I’m convinced the reason I later got a job as an intern for the Post-Bulletin was because I teared up when I saw the printing press. Local journalism is so important, and I’m proud that I get to be part of the process.
Natalie Howell
My major responsibilities are: I handle the Des Moines Register’s Instagram. I’m also part of the audience engagement team, where I work on headlines and SEO for stories before they get published. The night editor part of my title is pretty self-explanatory: I edit stories at night.
I like my job because: I wear many hats. I get to be creative with Instagram while also being able to edit stories, which is my one true love. Every day is different around here.
When I’m not working, I like to: Spend as much time as I can near Lake Michigan! I love hiking, and this summer I’m dedicated to getting better at camping. I also love comedy and enjoy going to improv shows in Milwaukee.
Fun fact about me: I was one of 50 student journalists who got to spend the day at the White House in 2016 for the first-ever College Reporter Day. We thought the highlight was meeting then-President Barack Obama’s dogs, Bo and Sunny, but the major surprise came when Obama made an unexpected appearance at the press briefing at the end of the day. There’s a video out there of all of us freaking out.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Meet the Des Moines Register staff: Social media editor Natalie Howell