Briana Smith moved to Central New York in August of 2018 and is already captivated by the welcoming community and beautiful surroundings. She loves learning about the people who make up her new community and makes an effort to stay connected through volunteering at local soup kitchens and the VA. Briana’s favorite thing about Central New York’s history are the powerful leaders, especially women such as Harriet Tubman and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, who sparked change here.

Briana’s been at Spectrum News for a year and a half, and looks forward to coming to work every day because of the inspirational, powerful people she has the opportunity to meet. They encourage her to deliver the best possible stories and spread the word to empower others in the community. She especially loves walking away from a person or a group at the end of the day feeling like she made an everlasting connection – a fresh reminder of why she does what she does.

From traveling across the country to report on water contamination on military bases for a documentary called “Troubled Waters,” to doing an in-depth piece about being biracial on Long Island, Briana loves to cover in-depth pieces. When asked about the most meaningful story she’s ever covered, Briana recalls a story about a teenage boy with down syndrome who has one goal – to visit fire stations throughout New York and eventually travel outside the state. Briana had the opportunity to spend some time with him, and it served as a reminder that we can all do anything we put our minds to. Joey Abt is an inspiration to us all!

When not at work, you can find Briana spending time with her family and friends, traveling across Europe or the U.S., cooking, and being active. She’s about to run her second half marathon in Lake Placid and was chosen for the NYC Marathon this November!

Have a story idea? Email her and follow her on Twitter.