When I was editing The St. Louis American, I started getting these invitations to host delegations of visiting journalists from all over the world in our newsroom and talk with them. The World Affairs Council is a local entity that coordinates these State Department tours to stop in St. Louis. I thought it was fabulous that our city and our newspaper were on the radar for this sort of thing. I said yes to every single invitation, with the blessing and enthusiasm of publisher Donald M. Suggs, and by now could never remember every country with a journalist who has ever had a heart to heart with me, and other folks at The American, in that newsroom.

When I moved on from journalism to criminal justice, which is much more my passion, the World Affairs Council and State Department followed me to The St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. I thought that was awesome, and the elected prosecutor who hired me – Wesley Bell – loves this kind of thing.