Brandie Jefferson, Patch Staff

Brandie comes to you from the Chicagoland area via Providence, R.I.  After earning an undergraduate degree in philosophy of science from the University of Illinois, she found she couldn't get a job. Imagine that! So she went on to earn a Master's degree in journalism from Boston University. Brandie has worked at the Providence Journal as a Metcalf Institute Environmental Reporter, as a general assignment reporter and as an online reporter.

She has also worked at the Associated Press, and done freelance for a whole bunch of publications, including AAA (you know that newsletter!), Providence Business News and MassDevice.com.

Now Brandie is in Maryland and is in L-O-V-E with the state -- the diversity, the food (she had her first crab!), the nightlife, the great central location along the Eastern Seaboard. When not tied to the computer, or interviewing folks for a story, Brandie can be found deejaying 60s music at a few clubs around Baltimore; watching a local band; or just out with friends (and talking to strangers) at one of her local haunts.

Your Beliefs

At Patch, we promise always to report the facts as objectively as possible and otherwise adhere to the principles of good journalism. However, we also acknowledge that true impartiality is impossible because human beings have beliefs. So in the spirit of simple honesty, our policy is to encourage our editors to reveal their beliefs to the extent they feel comfortable. This disclosure is not a license for you to inject your beliefs into stories or to dictate coverage according to them. In fact, the intent is the opposite: we hope that the knowledge that your beliefs are on the record will cause you to be ever mindful to write, report and edit in a fair, balanced way. And if you ever see evidence that we failed in this mission, please let us know.

Politics 

I have always been an extremely liberal-minded person. To me, that means accepting the fact that no one has all of the answers and that we are all trying to find them. I genuinely respect and appreciate the fact that people can come to such different conclusions and I love nothing more than a good conversation with someone who has completely different views than I do.

Religion

No religion. 

Local Hot-Button Issues

I'm new to Ellicott City, so I'd like you to tell me what you think is important! I do suspect that maintaining the unique character of the community is important to many residents -- I plan to keep an eye on zoning and development issues.