Leah Bush: A Media Maven

Leah Bush is a veteran journalist and former editor of three Patch websites, but she has taken an interesting path to where she is now as a content marketer and blogger.

In 2005, she graduated from Mary Washington College in Fredericksburg, Virginia, approximately 50 miles south of Washington, D.C. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and Law; Bush has used this degree to the fullest extent in her career.

Working for the American Red Cross as an investigative coordinator in the legal department in the nation’s capital, she investigated fraud among Hurricane Katrina disaster assistance recipients. Bush, as an expert in the area, covered the issues of fraud and the disaster itself on her personal blog. She still continues to blog about social issues and other news topics.

“The biggest thing you have going for you is being a storyteller,” Bush said, adding, “You have to put this into a narrative.”

Bush realized how much she loved journalism and covering stories and relaying that to an audience through stories. She started at Oyster Bay Guardian newspaper in 2009 and then eventually became a freelance reporter for Patch.com in 2011. Bush moved up the ranks at Patch quickly, crediting her first big break to when the editor went on vacation and asked her to fill the void in his absence. Bush stayed on as editor of Northport Patch for 2 years at a time when Patch was an industry innovator in digital and local content. This forced her to learn HMTL code and the nuances of website development and interactive news content.

“You’re competing in the most oversaturated environment there is,” said Bush about the media industry.

Today, Bush takes on a public relations role as the account manager for HLD Communications in Mineola. Among other campaigns, she executed a national cancer awareness initiative, which broke a Guinness World Record for a sky diving fundraiser.

As an experienced editor and journalist, she also helps customers develop an audience and through strategic content marketing online and web metrics.

“You need to learn how to optimize your content,” Bush said about this role, advising, “Visuals are everything today; it’s all images that get your attention.”

Bush wears many hats. Her background in philosophy and law plus her experiences have helped her in several niches within the industry, making Bush a well-rounded journalist, public relations professional and content marketer.