Cecilia Dowd

I can’t remember a time when news wasn’t part of my life. Growing up, our kitchen radio was always on in the morning, and I’d sit with my mom in the evening to watch the local news. My dad, a former Latin teacher, used newspapers to highlight “SAT words.”

I remember the thrill of being interviewed by a local TV journalist about my school play. Years later, as a teenager, I was equally excited to be quoted in a newspaper about Cardinal O’Connor’s last midnight Mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral.

Telling Long Islanders’ stories and being there during their best, and sometimes worst, moments is a privilege I don’t take lightly.

I grew up on Long Island – in West Islip – and can’t express how fortunate I am to report for NewsdayTV in and on the community I love. If it matters to you, it more than likely matters to me, too.

I’ve covered all sorts of stories throughout my career, from storms to elections to big court cases. I am often asked which are my favorite, and it’s hard to say. When I was younger, I thought there’d be nothing better than to interview famous people for a living. But I’ve found that it’s covering the stories of everyday people often doing extraordinary things that makes me truly happy. 

As a journalist, we strive to do stories that will somehow make an impact. I’m proud of my coverage of first responders diagnosed with 9-11-related illnesses and their fight for health care. It’s stories like those that can really make a difference, and I hope mine did.

Telling Long Islanders’ stories and being there during their best, and sometimes worst, moments is a privilege I don’t take lightly. Working for Newsday, the paper I grew up reading, and its multimedia components, is truly an honor.