#MediaMonday – Amanda Goossen
Huge news!
Arcadia News’ managing editor Amanda Goossen is set to be honored at the 2015 Association of Free Community Papers Spring Conference as a winner of the organization’s 2015 Awards Competition for Outstanding Achievement in Design, Advertising, Editorial and Publishing.
Goossen is being recognized in the category of “Rising Stars in Journalism.”
So, no better time than now to give her the #MediaMonday treatment!
Amanda, time to share:
When and how did you come to join Arcadia News?
My family moved to Phoenix in June 2011, and I was a stay-at-home mom to my then three- and five- year-olds. At the time I was working as a freelance writer from home, working with a few online publications. In September 2011, I emailed Arcadia News to ask if I could write a monthly column about my search for Sweets and Treats in a new town.
Tell us about the award!
Every year Arcadia News enters a variety of journalism contests, both locally and nationally. Last year we won an award for Best Small Newspaper in the nation with over 25% editorial.
The Association of Free Community Papers is one event we attend every year and have had success winning awards with in the past. Last month the owner of Arcadia News, Greg Bruns, called me into his office to inform me that he had nominated me for the Rising Star Award and he had just found out I’d won. I was stunned. I hadn’t even known I was nominated so it was even more special. I still feel stunned and honored.
We can’t help but notice you popping up on behalf of Arcadia News on several local TV shows. Tell us about all of your great TV gigs:
It’s so much fun! I am currently the Local Restaurant Contributor on “Your Life A to Z” on KTVK TV 3. Twice a month I appear on the show to discuss my favorite new restaurants in the Valley. I write the restaurant coverage in Arcadia News so it’s really fun to be able to talk about the spots that I’ve recently written about in our paper.
When not editing the paper, what do you do for fun?
I love to read, which is one reason I started the Arcadia News Book Club three years ago. Our book club, made up of women from all over the neighborhood, is my favorite day of the month.
Women of all ages and backgrounds get together at the Saguaro Library and we Skype with the author of the month. It’s fabulous.
In our free time, my husband, son, daughter and I love to go to movies, ride our bikes, and go out to eat. Plus I love to hike. I try to hike up a local mountain as often as I can.
Tell us about your family – it is hard not to notice you are a busy wife and mom!
Today, I have a nine-year-old daughter and seven-year-old son. My job at Arcadia News is the best because I can still volunteer at their school and be there to pick up them up at 3 p.m. My kids are really creative and fun, my daughter even creates a monthly magazine of her own and she asks me to write an article for her each month. The distribution is just one copy made for us and I love looking at all her imaginative articles, recipes and photos. My son has the biggest heart of anyone you’ll ever meet and just learned to play Happy Birthday on the electric guitar for my husband’s birthday.
My husband and I have been married for almost 13 years. He’s my best friend; I couldn’t imagine doing this life with anyone else. I know…so sappy, but it’s the truth. He is supportive, tough and not only the funniest, but the smartest person I know.
What are some of your favorite local spots in Arcadia?
Beckett’s Table is my all-time favorite restaurant; Essence Bakery is my mid-day indulgence and hiking Cholla Canyon is the best way to start my day. My family loves to go to Rita’s Italian Ice and cruise the canal on our bikes.
How can folks follow, fan and get in touch with you online?
I can be reached at amanda@arcadianews.com or by visiting my Facebook or Instagram accounts.
