For the past six months, I have been covering the city of Federal Way as a reporter. This week, I step into a new role as editor of the Mirror.

You likely know me as Heidi Sanders, the name I have been writing under since joining the Mirror staff last October, but, I recently got married and changed my last name.

I am excited to take on this new role as editor. I am eager to continue to discover the stories of the residents and community of Federal Way. With such a diverse population, I am sure to find a multitude of interesting people and communities.

I grew up primarily in South King County. As a toddler, I lived briefly in Federal Way (before it was a city) and spent much of my childhood in Auburn. As a preschooler, I played in the Auburn City Council chambers while my mom taught a class for the city’s Parks and Recreation Department. I am told I liked to sit in the chair of then Auburn mayor and current Mirror political columnist Bob Roegner, who I now have the pleasure of working alongside.

After graduating from Kentridge High School on Kent’s East Hill, I spent the early years of my adulthood exploring other parts of the country and world before returning to the Pacific Northwest four years ago.

I started my journalism career 12 years ago at a weekly newspaper near St. Louis, Missouri, after receiving my degree from the University of Missouri. When I first took the job, I envisioned myself working there for a few years before moving on to a daily paper, but I quickly found a passion for community journalism. I believe that every person and every community has a story to tell. As a journalist, I have had the pleasure to uncover and share a number of those stories.

I started working for Sound Publishing (which owns the Federal Way Mirror) in March 2015, covering schools and sports for the Kent Reporter. In June 2016, I become assistant editor of the Tukwila Reporter before transferring to the Mirror last October.

I have enjoyed getting to know the Federal Way community during the past few months. As the Mirror celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, it has become apparent residents here value local journalism.

I want the Mirror to continue to be your community paper, so please feel free to reach out to me with feedback and let me know what you would like to see or if you have story ideas.

I look forward to getting to know you and the community better and sharing your stories.

Heidi Jacobs is editor of the Federal Way Mirror. She can be reached at hjacobs@fedwaymirror.com or 253-292-2309.