Meet a Member: Cora Weisenberger
A love for writing has helped shape a career for Cora Weisenberger. She has always loved to write. These days she is sharing her talents with Illinois Woman’s Press Association where she is president-elect and chairing the high school communications contest. She is dedicated and dependable and NFPW is lucky to have her as a member. Meet this unique and unbelievable member.
Cora Weisenberger
Name: Cora Weisenberger
City and State: Chicago Heights, Illinois
Affiliate and any leadership positions: Illinois Woman’s Press Association – Social Media Coordinator (2013-2015); High School Contest Chair (2015-2017; President-Elect (2016)
Years a member of NFPW:
I was a member from 1996 to 2004. After taking time off for graduate school and rebuilding my career, I rejoined in 2013.
Tell us a little about you.
It seems like it was always in the cards that I would be a writer of some sort; even as I kid I pretended to write novels (the subject was usually my long-enduring passion: horses). But it wasn’t until I got to high school that I thought about writing and journalism as a career. The advisor for the school newspaper said she believed that I could write professional. That was something that stuck with me.
Eventually, I received my undergraduate degree from Northwestern University in communications and journalism; and a master’s in journalism from the Northwestern’s Medill School of Journalism. In my career I have worked at a daily newspaper; a B2B publication, a direct-selling business and am now Communication Manager at The Appraisal Institute, the nation’s largest professional Association for real estate appraisers.
My husband, Greg, and I live in a suburb of Chicago with our sons David and Jonathan, and our two furry “children,” dogs Abby and Moonie.
Any career advice you would give?
Be flexible. The communications profession is unpredictable. No matter your skills set or your years of experience, you might find yourself out of a job or working in a new media that didn’t exist 5 – 10 years ago. No matter the format, good fundamental communications and journalism skills are needed. Be willing to try something new.
Cora Weisenberger in the rain at Niagara Falls with the American Falls behind her.
Which talent would you most like to have?
Anything athletic. I would have loved to have been in the Olympics, but I have no athletic ability whatsoever!
If you could live anywhere, where would it be?
In the country on enough land where I could have a separate studio for writing and art, and my gearhead husband and sons could have space for their hobby cars.
What book are you reading?
“Eighty Days: Nellie Bly and Elizabeth Bisland’s History-Making Race Around the World,” by Matthew Goodman. Nellie Bly is a well known, but I had never heard of Bisland. In addition to their exploits, this book reveals how hard it was for 19th-century woman journalists (the same time IWPA was formed, incidentally) to get into the profession and to be taken seriously.
What would people be surprised to learn about you?
I own the farm that has been in my family from more than 100 years.
Why is your affiliate and NFPW important to you?
They are both ways we can encourage the communicators of today as well as encourage future generations.
Way to follow you on a website, twitter, Facebook, etc.
You can find both me on Facebook. I have a Twitter account but rarely tweet.
Explore posts in the same categories: Illinois, NFPW, UncategorizedTags: Cora Weisenberger, Illinois Woman's Press Association, NFPW
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