Natascia Lypny, 31

Features Producer, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, Saskatchewan

Education: Bachelor of Journalism (Honours), University of King’s College

What advice do you have for other young professionals in the news industry?

Knock the tough-as-nails, workaholic journalist off the pedestal. If you genuinely love journalism, don’t let it destroy you. I know you want to prove yourself, but running yourself into the ground isn’t the way to do it. You can’t make a lasting impact if you only last five years. Care for yourself and you’ll be able to put the care into your work that it deserves.

What is your strategy for creating compelling content that addresses the needs of a diverse audience?

Involve the communities you’re focusing on in the journalism production. That includes pulling back the curtain on the journalistic process. Consult, consult, consult and create a feedback loop.

Get audience input on what topics they want to see reported on. Hand over the mic (or camera or social platform or...) as much as possible to center on the voices of those with lived experience.

Acknowledge what you don’t know and what you’ve gotten wrong in the past, unlearn, and seek guidance for moving forward productively. See your work as a public service. Focus on solutions-oriented journalism.

How is your work giving back? What are these communities getting out of participating in your reporting?

Adopt a trauma-informed approach. Make coverage on all platforms accessible — from your writing style to language to format. Consider and prioritize diverse angles in everyday news stories — not only when you’re explicitly covering diverse communities or directly related topics.