Meet Kim...

Here is the long awaited introduction to our new friend Kim who moved in with us at the beginning of June.

I've asked her a few questions so that all of you could get to know her as well!

Enjoy!



I am currently 25, but will be 26 years old July 23. I'm from Boone, NC, which is in the very northwest corner of the state, in the middle of the Appalachian Mountains. I have one older brother and one younger sister.


I am a photographer; I studied photojournalism at UNC (go Tar Heels!) and graduated with a B.A. in Journalism and Mass Communication in May 2004. I worked as a photo intern at a newspaper in Hays, KS for three months that summer, then that December I found a full-time photojournalist position at a small newspaper near Hilton Head Island, SC, where I worked for two and a half years. In August 2007, I had been looking for a new newspaper job for a while, but then decided I would like to focus on portrait photography for a time. So, I moved to Raleigh, NC, and worked at a portrait studio for about 8 months. Things weren't working out like I'd hoped--I had to work two jobs and it left me no time to meet any people or build a life outside work. So I began looking for another job, again.�


I had had the thought of working at Disney World in the back of my head for several years, and thought I might someday do it just for fun for a while. But, I already had an aunt and uncle, Gail and Charlie Walker, living in the Orlando area, and when I heard that a cousin of mine, Samantha, went to a job fair and was hired on the spot to work for the summer, I decided to go ahead and pursue a job as a Disney PhotoPass Photographer. I was hired to work full-time, put in my two weeks notices at my jobs in Raleigh, and moved down!


When I came down for an interview during a week long Disney job fair in early May, my Aunt Gail mentioned a couple in her church that may be looking for a renter. She put me in touch with Kelly Traugott, and after some communication and prayer, she and David graciously opened up their home to me for the summer! I had emailed Kelly and spoken to her on the phone only a few times before I actually met them when I drove up with my car full of stuff �=)


Aside from photography, I absolutely love to travel. I really enjoy experiencing new cultures, observing and interacting with the people in places I go. I have studied abroad in Italy, and have been to several other European countries as a result--Austria, England, Scotland, Holland, France. I have also been to Chile, which was wonderful. I love camping and hiking, and recently fell in love with "paddling"--I took a week long canoeing trip in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area in northern Minnesota. I also enjoy reading, watching movies and just spending time with friends.


I hope to eventually get back into more documentary-style photography. I would like to work for an organization like the UN, or an humanitarian aid organization, to help show the need of people suffering in places all over the world. I pray that the Lord gives me the opportunity to serve Him with my visual talents--to show the more fortunate of the world the needs of individuals struggling with poverty, hunger, natural disaster, etc, and how they can be helped.