Megan Gibson

I just want to help people, and I want to make whatever I'm working on better. Any kind of social media account I'm running, by the time I leave it, I want to have left it better than I found it. I try every time I get up in the morning to at least help somebody, at least one person a day. My faith as well, I share the Christian faith, so I try and do my best to live my life the way that Jesus did.

The best advice that anyone ever told me was to do it scared. The best things I've done in my life were when I was scared. The best presentations I've given, the best job interviews, the best moments of my life that I ended up feeling the proudest were when I was truly felt like I wasn't gonna make it. The best advice that my mom ever gave me was just to do it scared.

I would tell young women not to feel like they have to make themselves smaller to fit into an industry or a room. Be willing to ask questions, take up space, try things that intimidate you and learn as you go. You don’t have to know everything to get started, and you don’t have to be the loudest person in the room to have something valuable to contribute. Cover what no one else will. Be the first one at an event and the last one to leave. Become a jack of all trades and learn to do as much as you possibly can — write, photograph, film, edit, produce, tell stories and learn the technology behind all of it. Not because you have something to prove, but because you genuinely care about becoming someone who can be counted on and who can tell a story from every angle. Find people who will encourage you, challenge you and advocate for you, but also learn to advocate for yourself. Most importantly, don’t lose sight of who you are and what you value in the process of building your career. Your character matters just as much as your talent, and there is room for you to bring both into this industry.

I think one of the biggest challenges in journalism right now is finding ways to reach people in an increasingly saturated digital space while still maintaining accuracy, credibility and trust. With social media and AI changing how people consume and receive information, journalists have to adapt quickly without losing the core values of journalism.

At the same time, I think that creates a huge opportunity, especially for younger journalists. Social media allows us to tell stories in ways that are more visual, immediate and accessible to audiences who might not traditionally seek out news. There’s also so much room for innovation in how we use video, photography and other digital storytelling tools to connect with people and make local journalism feel relevant to them.

Integrity, faith, hard work and authenticity are probably the values I hold closest. I want to be someone people can trust — whether that’s trusting me to tell a story accurately, show up when I say I will, or simply be there when someone needs me.

I also really value serving others. I’ve always believed that the work we do matters most when it can be used to help, encourage or give a voice to someone else. In journalism especially, I think it’s important to remember that there are real people behind every story. And finally, I value curiosity and a willingness to learn. I never want to become someone who thinks I’ve learned enough. I want to keep asking questions, trying new things and becoming better at whatever I’m doing while still staying true to who I am and what I believe.