An Introduction to Dana, Our Newest Social Media Team Member

As usual, things have been pretty exciting in the social media department. We have been busier than ever, which gave us the opportunity to bring another writer to the team.  I had the chance to sit down with our new addition, Dana Dillehunt, to get the full story on moving north to south, food photography and why she loves to write.

A hilarious photo snapping, puppy loving, creative spirit – Dana has brought a great energy and inspired ideas to the department – and we are thrilled to have her! READ below to learn a little more about Dana, her pets and why she’s passionate about social media.

AL: What did you do before Market America?

DD: I just moved back to Greensboro in January (I grew up here); I was living just outside Boston working as a freelance writer and food photographer. I shot a few cookbooks (and a few weddings, because any freelance photographer knows you just have to) and got to ghost write a few really interesting books. Before that I had many different writing jobs in New York City; I’ve written ads for books, financial articles, recipes, grammar guides, grants for non-profits, tech guides, catalog descriptions, and even the back covers of romance novels! Being a freelancer is great and I definitely miss the hours (especially being able to stay home with the puppy!) but it’s also very lonely work (not to mention the unreliable paychecks…)

AL: What interests you about social media?

DD: The power of a message!! Something as tiny as a tweet or picture on instagram can reach so far to such a broad audience, and carry such a weight with it. It’s kind of amazing. Especially now where pretty much EVERYONE is on some sort of social network, news travels lightning-fast (and of course, bad news travels the fastest), and if you’re not on board you’ll be left in the dust. I’ve been tweeting, facebooking and blogging for years and even got freelance business from my tweets and posts!

AL: What are your hobbies?

DD: Since I was working as a professional photographer, I stopped carrying a camera around for fun. I might pick that back up again soon. I’m big on fashion and I change my hair color almost as much as I change my outfit. I also love cooking (and eating!), and I’m a skydiver so I try to do that as much as possible!

AL. Skydiving is dangerous.

DD: That’s not a question. Statistically, it’s not as bad as you think. And according to the stats, the most dangerous part of the skydive is the drive to the drop zone! Everyone should try it at least once.

AL: Do you have any nicknames?

DD: Everyone has called me “Dilly” at some point in my life (see last name), whether I’ve known them five years or five minutes.

AL: Do you have any pets?

DD: I have a kitty, Benny, who I have to keep shaved because of my allergies. She has two different colored eyes, and is 7 tiny pounds of personality. She says “Bless you” if you sneeze, (and keeps repeating it until you thank her).  I’m not even kidding, it’s ridiculous. She definitely holds her own against the newest addition: a rescue dog that I was told is part dachshund and part retriever (I’ll let you think about that for a second), but there’s no way to tell. His name is Sebastian, he’s almost 6 months old, and is definitely one of those dogs everyone has to stop and pet (I can’t even walk him down the street without people stopping him!). He rolls right over to his back and invites strangers to pet his tummy.

AL: If you could travel anywhere, where would it be?

DD: Right now I think I’m saving for a trip to Vietnam. I’ve been a fan of the food (all of that wonderful French influence while preserving these great native ingredients really appeals to me!) since I worked in a Vietnamese restaurant in college, and I feel like the photo opportunities would be endless. Everything is so colorful!