Riley Miller
Occupation: 5 p.m. anchor for WJCL 22 News
Who is the most interesting person you have ever interviewed?
October 2019 was definitely my most interesting day on the job. American Idol was in Savannah for auditions, and I got to interview judges Katy Perry, Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan as well as host Ryan Seacrest. I never get nervous, but I definitely had butterflies that day. However, they were all so nice and welcoming and gave insightful answers to my questions, too. Certainly a day I will never forget!
What drew you to this line of work?
I always loved watching the news growing up, even as a little girl. When I was younger, I always said I wanted to tell the positive stories. Of course, when you’re in this industry, you have to report on everything—including hard, breaking news and sad stories. But to this day, the feel-good stories are my favorite to tell. I love that my work can highlight the good, make people smile, bring people together and make someone’s day. I try to use my position to be a positive light in the community.
How much social media do you consume in a typical day? Be honest.
A LOT. To be honest, I turned off the screen time feature on my iPhone because I didn’t want to know! Ha ha. But social media is a huge part of my job. I have posting requirements on Facebook and Twitter. Many people get their news from social media, so I do my best to stay engaged and keep the public informed on breaking news and what’s happening in the community. I also find a good chunk of my story ideas skimming through social media and community groups/pages.
Where do you prefer to vacation?
Who needs a vacation when you live on Hilton Head? I love that I can get my beach fix every day living here. When I do take time off work, I like to go back home to Kentucky and Nashville, Tennessee to see my family and friends—and catch a Nashville Predators hockey game with my dad!
Do you primarily come up with story ideas in-house, or do you encourage the community to reach out?
Both! I am always looking for unique stories. I love when the community reaches out to me with a story idea. I encourage anyone with a story to message me on social media or send an email to riley.miller@hearst.com.
What do you like most about living in the Lowcountry?
My favorite part is the beautiful beaches. I am a runner, and popping in my headphones, grabbing my dog and running on the beach is one of my favorite things to do. The view never gets old. It’s definitely my favorite way to ease stress.
Favorite local event/festival to cover?
No question, Heritage!
Angela McSwain
Occupation: RBC Heritage Marketing and Communications Director
Who is the most interesting person you have ever interviewed?
In 2009, Rory McIlroy competed in the Heritage. He was 19 and had just arrived the month before from Northern Ireland to play on the PGA TOUR. He was traveling with his girlfriend, and there was a ton of buzz about him being the next big thing. He was so well spoken and so poised for his age. I liked him immediately and I had a feeling he was going to be successful on the PGA TOUR.
What drew you to this line of work?
I decided I wanted to be a reporter in fifth grade. I loved interviewing interesting people and experiencing news firsthand. Hilton Head was just going to be a stop along my career, but the island sucked me in. I didn’t want to leave this beautiful place. I get the best of both worlds working at the RBC Heritage. I love helping reporters build news stories about the RBC Heritage and the charitable mission of the Heritage Classic Foundation.
How much social media do you consume in a typical day? Be honest.
I have a 13-year-old daughter, so I spend a lot of time in car lines waiting to pick her up. Social media keeps me company as I sit and allows me to stay on top of what people in the golf world are saying.
Where do you prefer to vacation?
I always want to travel to big cities or to the West to enjoy a taste of winter in the mountains.
Do you primarily come up with story ideas in-house, or do you encourage the community to reach out?
I think a balance is necessary. We have stories we want to share, but we also get many ideas from RBC Heritage fans and our registered charities. Our fans are passionate about #plaidnation, and our registered charities do amazing things in our community.
What do you like most about living in the Lowcountry?
I lived in two other South Carolina cities before moving to the Lowcountry. I always felt like an outsider until I came to Hilton Head Island. It felt like home; I found great friends, my husband and community of fantastic people. I think it is the people and the sense of community that makes the Lowcountry special.
Favorite local event/festival to cover?
Obviously, it’s the RBC Heritage Presented by Boeing all the way! Come see me April 12-18 at the Harbour Town Golf Links.
Mandy Matney
Occupation: News Director, FITSNews.com
Who is the most interesting person you have ever interviewed?
Dick Van Dyke.
What drew you to this line of work?
I started writing for my high school newspaper when I was 17, and I really haven’t stopped being a journalist since. It took a hold on me in a way nothing else has. Local journalists have this awesome opportunity to improve their communities through writing, which is a powerful thing. It’s an insane, addicting and tough profession that I’m proud to do every day.
How much social media do you consume in a typical day? Be honest.
Too much. I think social media is important for journalists because it helps build readers’ trust in us, which is so important now. It’s also a great way to get a pulse on what your community cares about and to connect with sources you normally wouldn’t run into.
Where do you prefer to vacation?
Other countries! I went to nine countries in 2019, and I can’t wait to start exploring the world again.
Do you primarily come up with story ideas in-house, or do you encourage the community to reach out?
I get calls, emails, texts, and Facebook messages from random people in the community daily. A big portion of my story ideas comes from Facebook and Twitter, which is another reason why I spend too much time on social media.
What do you like most about living in the Lowcountry?
Honestly, I moved here for the weather and beach, but I ended up staying because I love the people so much. Hilton Head is really kind and embracing to new people because most of us have been there before. I was lucky to find a group of friends whom I now consider to be my family, and I can’t picture myself anywhere else.
Favorite local event/festival to cover?
Wingfest! It’s the most underrated event on Hilton Head Island.
Sam Ogozalek
Occupation: Reporter, The Island Packet
Who is the most interesting person you have ever interviewed?
Nada Odeh. I met her in Syracuse, New York about four years ago. She was an artist and refugee from Syria who fled Damascus in 2012.
What drew you to this line of work?
I liked writing in high school, so I asked the editor of my hometown’s weekly newspaper if I could intern there (I grew up in a rural part of upstate New York). Within a year, I started working at The Hancock Herald as a part-time reporter and photographer, covering news, sports, etc. It was a blast!
How much social media do you consume in a typical day? Be honest.
A ton. I don’t use Instagram or Facebook much, but I always have Twitter open on my computer during the workday.
Where do you prefer to vacation?
Southwest Florida! I interned at the Naples Daily News a few years back. I love the beaches there.
Do you primarily come up with story ideas in-house, or do you encourage the community to reach out?
It’s a mixture of both. I cover COVID-19, so I get a lot of ideas after reading other newspapers around the country, tracking government data and talking to local health care providers. But a lot of our best stories are based on community members’ tips. For example, our readers have helped me cover the Lowcountry’s vaccine rollout since mid-January, forwarding me hospital emails, story ideas, photos, etc.
What do you like most about living in the Lowcountry?
I love how close everything is to the water.
Favorite local event/festival to cover?
I haven’t covered any, really! I moved here in May 2020. I wrote a few stories about the Heritage last year, and I got to hang out around Harbour Town for a couple of days, but everyone told me it wasn’t the same. Hopefully I’ll report on it again when life is more normal.
Dr. Debi Lynes
Occupation: Counseling Psychology (ED, SUD, Insomnia);Interior Design (Freudian Slipcovers) facilitative and
supportive design; Talk show host, WHHI-TV, Lynes on Design, Girl Talk, Healthy Living
Who is the most interesting person you have ever interviewed?
I have rarely interviewed someone who does not have an interesting story to share. Sometimes the most interesting interviews are off-camera.
What drew you to this line of work?
Curiosity.
How much social media do you consume in a typical day? Be honest.
I am obsessed with Instagram. I stalk Aging in Place, interior designers, fabric, and furniture designers. I love garden design and, of course, the TikTok ball challenge that Maggie and Jevon took! (We’re honored, Debi!)
Where do you prefer to vacation?
Wherever my 10 grandkids are!
Do you primarily come up with story ideas in-house, or do you encourage the community to reach out?
We love the community to reach out and be our eyes and ears.
What do you like most about living in the Lowcountry?
I am grateful for the natural environment and the diversity of the people!
Favorite local event/festival to cover?
Hmmm, that is a tough one. I am hungry right now, so I am favoring food or wine … I like them all. I also love Concours d’Elegance.
Liz Farrell
Occupation: Assistant PIO for the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office; former journalist/reporter
Who is the most interesting person you have ever interviewed?
If I were smart, I’d say Major Bob Bromage, because he’s my supervisor now and I’m still on probation. But it’s Mildred Muhammad, the ex-wife of the D.C. Sniper. As it turned out, she was the sniper’s target all along. I lived in the D.C. area during the attacks, and the sniper was caught not too far from my house. It truly was a scary time, especially coming on the heels of Sept. 11 and the anthrax attacks. So, the interview was somewhat personal to me. Mildred was here to speak at a fundraiser for Hopeful Horizons. Beforehand, she and I sat on the couch in her hotel room for a long time. It was one of the most profound conversations I’ve had with a stranger to this day.
What drew you to this line of work?
I became a journalist because I despise corruption and believe that our government should operate openly and be held to account. It was important to me that my career post-The Island Packet reflect those values. I’m thrilled to have landed at the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office because it’s an agency that operates with integrity and values its relationship with the public.
How much social media do you consume in a typical day? Be honest.
About half the hours I’m awake, plus occasional sleep-scrolling.
Where do you prefer to vacation?
Google Earth.
What do you like most about living in the Lowcountry?
Wading the flats right before the tide peaks and watching for tailing reds.
What do you miss about being a journalist?
The adrenaline high of a breaking news story.
What do you enjoy most about your new career?
We’re redesigning our website right now. It’s been really fun creating a site that puts public information front and center and that tells the story of the Sheriff’s Office. There’s so much I didn’t know before working here, and I’m excited to share that with the community.
Monty Jett
Occupation: Broadcaster
Who is the most interesting person you have ever interviewed?
My most interesting interview is difficult to determine as I have interviewed hundreds of fascinating people. From smoking a joint with Wolfman Jack in the back of a limo to Alice Cooper. Fritz Hollings and Strom Thurmond were regulars for me. I really enjoyed a young Joe Riley as he shared his dream of rebuilding a deteriorated downtown Charleston. I remember fondly my interviews with Gian Carlo Menotti and his desire to have an arts festival of two worlds, Spoleto Festival in Spoleto, Italy and Charleston, S.C. And, of course, the many Southern writers including Pat Conroy. But you asked for the most interesting. I think the hundreds of people who have called in during my hurricane coverage on six combined stations—everyday folks sharing their fear and concerns about the approaching storms, even after the storms, on how they were coping and helping each other. Radio is very important in these times. We even saved one woman during Hurricane Matthew. She was running out of oxygen, and EMS heard her and delivered oxygen just in time.
What drew you to this line of work?
I got into radio when the owner of the local station in Bamberg asked if I’d be interested in doing the afternoon top 40 show when I was 15 years old.
How much social media do you consume in a typical day? Be honest.
I called social media a giant time suck, but I consume quite a bit. I’m always looking for something to share with my listeners.
Where do you prefer to vacation?
We have a week at the Von Trapp lodge in Stowe, Vt. that my wife inherited. We share with her brother, so we go every other year. I do look forward to that. But my favorite is when we vacation with my children, fishing or diving in the Keys.
Do you primarily come up with story ideas in-house, or do you encourage the community to reach out?
The community sends me things they would like publicized, but I dig through a number of outlets for information.
What do you like most about living in the Lowcountry?
The weather, the water, and the many waterways to explore.
Favorite local event/festival to cover?
To cover, The RBC Heritage. To attend, The Wine Festival.
