Her journey into the media industry began somewhat serendipitously when she took her sister's place at a journalism school after her sister changed her mind about the program. This led her to the University of Rhode Island, where she graduated summa cum laude in 1983. Shortly after, she arrived at the fledgling CNN in Atlanta with nothing but a suitcase, a bicycle, and roughly $100. Starting as an entry-level desk assistant, she quickly distinguished herself through her relentless work ethic and linguistic skills, eventually earning her first major assignments covering the Iran-Iraq War and the fall of communism in Eastern Europe.
