After completing her formal education, she began her news journalism career at age 23 as a reporter/producer for KARO-FM's morning newscast in Columbia, Missouri. She later relocated to Ventura, California to join KADY-TV — a station owned by her mother and father – where she initially worked as the station's promotions director and executive producer but later turned to reporting at the Ventura County News Network. As promotions director, she won numerous ADDY awards.
