Celebrating One Year with the Best Job I've Ever Had

It was just about a year ago that I was sitting in a conference room in AOL's offices in New York City for two days of training for my new job as editor of Catonsville Patch. 

There were sales representatives, editors and regional editors from across the country in the room, as well as some of the company's higher-ups, including .

I was hired a few months before Patch rapidly expanded and hired hundreds of journalists across the nation, so it still seemed like a start-up at the time. I was excited, but also still felt like I was taking a big risk signing on with a journalism company that was betting on the demise of the print newspaper.

Sure, we had laptops and iPhones and a pretty amazing website, but would people actually find us? And when they did, would they read us? Would they keep coming back to the site? Would they tell their friends? Would they actually use the site?

A year later, when I reflect back on the conflicting emotions I felt in New York, I am glad I took the job. I'm glad I took the risk and I can say wholeheartedly this is the best job I've ever had.

For those of you who are familiar with my , you'll know that I've worked in a lot of different places but have mostly focused on community journalism. A few internships in college in Washington, D.C., made me realize I want to spend my career talking to real people instead of people in suits.

Since our launch, we have added to the fabric of community in Catonsville. That is something I am honored to be a part of, because I know every day this site is read by real people who live here. We've become a place for you to discuss ideas, share events, upload your own photos, write reviews of your favorite businesses and give praise for the good things your neighbors are doing.

Patch has also been a place where different groups in Catonsville have connected and new partnerships have formed. Which is what I love about the job.

Sure, we're chasing big stories, investigating issues and writing articles that affect you all the time. But we are also serving as a hub for everything related to the community. It's how we're different from traditional journalism and I believe it's how we will continue to be here and relevant in the next five or 10 years. I am humbled by this role and feel it's the biggest part of my job.

In the media world, Patch is a pretty young company and it will continue to grow and change.

We're constantly evolving and tweaking things on the site and I have no doubt we'll do some things better in the coming year.

So, as I chart my course for the next year and set a vision for this site, I invite you to reach out to me and tell me what you'd like to see on Patch. It's your site after all!

Thanks not only for reading, but for participating in the conversation on Catonsville Patch.