ALMetro360 April 18

Valorie Lawson WSFA News Anchor By Kristi Gates Photography by DiAnna Paulk Valorie Lawson is a familiar face to many in the River Re- gion. The WSFA anchor has successfully navigated a broad- casting career spanning more than 20 years. She got her first opportunity right out of college as a reporter at a local radio station in Huntsville. Lawson says she enjoyed it, but laughs when recalling, “I definitely should have taken some peo- ple’s advice and used an alias. I made some mistakes along the way like anyone starting out, but nobody would have known who I was then if I had just used that alias!” Her career in radio later led to a shot in television. She started out as a reporter in Huntsville before being pro- moted to anchor a few years later. From Huntsville she moved on to broadcast jobs in Birmingham and Memphis. Lawson then returned to Birmingham as anchor at a local station before moving to the capital city and WSFA, where she’s been for the last 12 years. Lawson admits she’s never been a shy person and says, “I’ve always been fascinated with TV. Anyone who knows me knows I have always wanted to be on TV. I can remem- ber in high school, I used to pretend I was doing the news talking into my brush!” Lawson says, “I just love story- telling. The highlight of my day is getting to work and find- ing out about current events and what we’re going to be working on that day. We have an awesome responsibly to bring information to people every single day, and it’s impor- tant to us to be balanced and fair.” Lawson is quick to think of some of her favorite inter- views over the years. She says, “One that sticks out right off the top of my head is John Lewis during the 50th an- niversary of the Selma to Montgomery march. I have a fas- cination with learning about the civil rights movement and how its leaders were able to create change through nonvio- lence. So to hear his stories about what happened during the march was just so interesting.” Lawson also got the chance to interview former president Barack Obama before he became president. She recalls, “He was coming to Birmingham and had just spoken at the dem- ocratic national convention, and there was a little buzz about him. He was the nicest person. I was all over the place. I can’t even tell you what I asked him, but we did a short interview! What an opportunity that was to meet him face-to-face and shake hands. That’s a definite highlight of my career.” Her love of storytelling led her to create a venture of her own — Newsmakers Academy. Lawson is able to use her expertise to help people and small businesses tell their story and get media coverage. Away from the business, she is mom to a stepson and two daughters. She says, “I was a cheerleader and on dance team when I was young, and the most fun thing I do these days is help coach my girls’ cheer- leading squad. I used to do a lot of civic work and still be- lieve in that so much, but since I had my girls, my whole perspective changed. I work a shift of 2-11 p.m., so spending time with them is the most important thing to me. I want to make sure I raise well-rounded kids.” There’s little doubt Lawson will encourage them to also live life by the mantra she follows. She says, “I just really think you have to follow your dreams. I know it sounds so clichéd, but I can remember when I started in this business how many people told me I wouldn’t make it. God keeps putting things in front of me like, ‘This is your time to shine.’ That’s when you can’t be shy. You have to step up and figure out a way to make things happen.” Find us on Facebook and Instagram APRIL 2018 27