Here’s wishing the happiest of birthdays to three excellent visual journalists…
Melissa Deegan is a stay-at-home mother of two boys in Naperville, Ill. A 1994 graduate of the University of Missouri, Melissa spent a year as a graphics reporter and artist for the Herald Leader of Lexington, Ky., before joining the Chicago Tribune in 1995 as a graphics coordinator. She “retired” after nine years to raise a family. She has also done a little print and online design on the side.
Catrina Earls is a commercial photographer in Charlotte, N.C. A 2007 graduate of Wingate University in North Carolina, Catrina spent three years as a designer for Sporting News yearbooks in Charlotte. She opened up her commercial photography business — C.Earls Photography — in November. Find her web site here, her design portfolio here and her Facebook fan page here.
Scott Lawson is a copy editor for the Times of Northwest Indiana in Munster, Ind. Scott spent five years as a reporter, photographer and designer for the Evening World of Spencer, Ind., before moving to the News-Dispatch of Michigan City, Ind. He graduated from Indiana University-Purdue University at Fort Wayne in 2004 and joined the Times in 2006. Find his Twitter feed here.
Catrina, Scott and Melissa share a birthday with actors Taylor Daniel Lautner, Leslie William Nielsen, Jennifer Joanna Aniston, Burton Leon “Burt” Reynolds Jr., Tina Blacker (better known as Tina Louise), Éva Gábor, Matthew William Lawrence and Q’oorianka Waira Qoiana Kilcher; musicians Sheryl Suzanne Crow, Sérgio Santos Mendes, Michael Kenji Sinoda (of Linkin Park), Brandy Rayana Norwood (who normally goes only by her first name), Kelendria Trene “Kelly” Rowland, Gerald “Gerry” Goffin, Vincent Eugene Craddock (better known as Gene Vincent) and Robert George “Boris” Pickett; sports greats Robert Kelly Slater (surfing) and Larry Merchant (commentator); Panamanian leader Manuel Antonio Noriega Moreno; politicians Lloyd Millard Bentsen Jr., John Ellis “Jeb” Bush and Sarah Louise Palin; author Sidney Sheldon; physicist Leó Szilárd and inventor Thomas Alva Edison.
In addition, today is Be Electrific Day, Pro Sports Wives Day, National Shut-In Visitation Day, White Shirt Day and Satisfied Staying Single Day. Seriously.
Have a brilliant birthday today, all! Best wishes!
