Maria Charbonneaux is an assistant professor of practice and the Dotdash Meredith Professional in Residence in the Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa. She teaches classes on reporting, writing, principles of journalism and the publishing industry, and she oversees Iowa State’s Dotdash Meredith Apprentice Program. She was a staff writer and editor at Meredith Corp., and she continues to create editorial content for national media brands as a freelancer. Her work has appeared in Better Homes and Gardens, Do It Yourself, Kitchen + Bath Makeovers, Paw Print and other publications and websites related to home, lifestyle and crafts. As Greenlee's communications specialist, she previously oversaw the school’s social media accounts, alumni magazine and newsletters. She holds a degree in journalism and mass communication and was named a 2014 Iowa State University Alumni Association STATEment maker.