Nancy Hanus, Patch Staff

I am a regional editor for Patch, based in southeast Michigan. I've been with Patch since July 2010, and oversee sites in Oakland County, including Bloomfield-Bloomfield Hills Patch, in my own hometown.

I fell in love with journalism as a sophomore at Warren Woods High School in Warren, MI, when Jargon newspaper adviser John Saad convinced me that Ohio State and newspapers were the best places in the world to be. He was right; I haven't looked back since. 

A Michigan native, I attended Ohio State University, but more recently I have been teaching at Michigan State University in the School of Journalism. So my blood, once solidly scarlet and gray, now has some green and white running through it as well. I have come to love the Spartans! 

I spent 19 years of my career in journalism at The Detroit News, most recently as new media director, in charge of the online department and overseeing detnews.com. Before that, I was a copy editor and an editor in nearly every other department – News, Business, Metro, Features, Sports and Photo.  I love newspapers. But when I left The News "the first time" in 1999, to help start a website for people with disabilities called iCan.com, I discovered online news. It has become my passion. I realized then that as much as I loved newspapers, online was truly the future for journalism.

I am excited at helping to bring community journalism to southeast Michigan cities and townships where it has sometimes fallen by the wayside. Please tell me if if you have an idea that will help Patch fulill that mission. Send me an e-mail at nancyh@patch.com or give me a call at 313-318-7037. I welcome your ideas and feedback any time!