Well, y’all — this is the last time you’ll see my face at the bottom of your newsletters. It has been an absolute joy and honor writing for you over the past 3.5 years.

What I’ve loved most about this job is meeting, connecting with, and telling the stories of the residents in our community. Through them, I’ve learned so much about Chattanooga and have grown to love the city even more.

A close second may be trying out new restaurants and menu offerings to share with y’all — I was well fed, to say the least. I’ll never forget the first Niedlov’s pizza night in 2023 or judging the FiveStar Food Fight competitions.

I couldn't forget to shout out the goats' guard dog, Beo, too. | Photo by Chattanooga Audubon Society

This job also got me outside more than I ever would have expected. From hanging out with the Maclellan Island goats and meeting local mushroom farmers to learning about support efforts for an endangered fish species and trying out van life. I have developed such a deep love and appreciation for our outdoor scene to carry with me moving forward.

There are also so many locals doing incredible things here in Chattanooga. The folks behind Food as a Verb are doing incredible work sharing the stories of the area’s food scene in all its forms. Local artist Zach Riddle is embarking on a country-wide project rooted in the mission of investing in yourself. There are just too many great Chattanoogans to name.

I haven’t done the exact math, but I’ve written over 1,000 pieces in my time here and had a lot of fun over on our Instagram page, too. If I could sum up my time here in one word, it would be community.

Chattanooga’s community is beyond special — heck, that’s why I could write 1,000 more stories about it, but I will forever appreciate my role in this community. From the bottom of my heart, thank you all again for this incredible opportunity.