Email: Joy.Woodson@patch.com
Phone: 404-539-9256 Hometown: Atlanta, GA by way of Memphis, TN Birthday: Dec. 14 Bio: Joy began her pursuit of journalism well before anyone paid her to. As a teenager, she was among the the first groups of Atlanta youth to write for Vox Teen Newspaper, a metro-Atlanta publication written by and for area teenagers. It was her first introduction to journalism, and the experience -- along with working on the Dunwoody High School newspaper -- led her straight to the University of Missouri-Columbia, where she obtained a bachelor's degree in journalism. While in college, Joy worked or interned at various news outlets across the country,including newspapers and magazines.  Following college, Joy landed her first full-time job at the Los Angeles Times, through the Minority Editorial Training Program (METPRO). Although she loved Los Angeles and all of its sunshine, Joy later took a job at the Stamford Advocate, where she could focus on news of a much smaller city. After three years, she made the trek back south to The State newspaper in South Carolina, where she covered community news and schools until December 2008. Most recently, Joy received a Master of Public Administration from the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies at Georgia State University. Because giving back is such an integral part of her life, she spent much of the two years volunteering or working at local nonprofits and government agencies focused on children's issues and hunger.  Joy is also pretty good in speaking, understanding and writing Spanish, having lived in Mexico for a bit in her 20s. She also knows quite a few key Russian phrases, as she spent time in Moscow as a high school exchange student. Besides hanging out in Snellville nowadays, Joy can be found trolling bookshelves for new reads, drinking smoothies with vitamin boost, watching her favorite television show "Grey's Anatomy" or playing with her very sneaky bichon frise, Happy. (Happy likes to steal food, socks and toys that belong to her sister's dog, Bart -- a very, very big German shepherd.) 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 How would you describe your political beliefs? Open-minded. Are you registered with a certain party? Democrat, but I have been known to vote in any direction. Religion How religious would you consider yourself? I grew up Baptist, and me and God are still friends. Local Hot-Button Issues What do you think are the most important issues facing the community? Going forward, the biggest issues in Snellville center on its Town Center revisioning plan. For too many people and many, many years Snellville has been known as the place between Atlanta and Athens. In the past few years, the city has worked to change that perception by building a new City Hall and Town Center. Still, officials and residents are looking to solidify an identity that is Snellville's alone. To do that, the city must engage and mesh the ideas and needs of young and old, and newcomers and long-time residents and merchants -- not just for the town's center but for the entire city of Snellville. Where do you stand on each of these issues? As a 30-something new to the area, Snellville's challenge was the first thing that struck me. Not only do I want a good community to raise children someday, but I also want a place where I can live, work and play before those children come.  I've talked to a few city folks, and they all agree with me. That there simply are not many options for people like me in Snellville.