Saying goodbye to Rhode Island Public Radio

So, I’ve kept it quiet for a few weeks, but now that the job posting is up, it’s about time I put the news out on the internet.

I’m leaving Rhode Island Public Radio.

I came to this station (then WRNI) as an intern in the winter of 2002. This place is where I learned to write news copy, got paid for my first radio feature and figured out the world of social media.

Joe O’Connor and Mark Degon took a big chance in 2008 when they hired me as the station’s health care reporter.  I’d only produced radio stories about things like break-ups and pigeon races. Somehow they trusted that I’d learn the beat.

So, after more than four years as a full time employee, and more than 10 as a hanger- on, leaving Rhode Island Public Radio feels less like leaving a job and more like saying goodbye to a huge chunk of my adult life.

Everyone says this, but it’s like leaving a family too. You get pretty close to a group of people when you’re crammed into one room together with no privacy.  We miraculously live in a pretty steady state of harmony. I’ve probably learned the most just sitting next to my fabulously brilliant and funny co-workers.

This blog (and Twitter and Facebook) have brought me closer to you (as listeners/readers.) Before I engaged in all of these internet platforms, my radio pieces went out into the air and I wasn’t sure what happened to them.  Your suggestions give this work a whole new depth- someone is actually out there! Your words also constantly spark ideas for stories or help me rethink the way I report.

Thanks also to all the sources out there (named and unnamed) who patiently taught me about their slice of Rhode Island’s health care world. We have some pretty smart policy makers, government employees, health care workers, and advocates in this little state.

But never fear! I’m not going that far away. Did you really think I’d leave Little Rhody?

In May I’ll be working with Deb Faulkner on projects related to health reform in Rhode Island.  I’m excited about crossing over from reporting on these kinds of things to being in the middle of them.

I’ll stick around the station until the end of April, so expect to see more updates here and on the air.  To prevent any conflict of interest, I’ll avoid any reporting that concerns health reform, but otherwise not much will change.

I’m looking forward to our last month together.  Even then, we might not have to say goodbye. Perhaps we’ll interact in new ways when I take on this next position.