Debbie Blankenship joined the Reg Murphy Center for Collaborative Journalism in 2013 as journalist in residence and newsroom coordinator. She previously worked as a journalist for publications in Georgia and South Carolina, and she also worked for former U.S. Congressman Jim Marshall, D-Ga., on veterans’ issues.

At Mercer, she coordinated and produced stories for the Murphy Center’s inaugural engagement project, “Macon in the Mirror.” The project won numerous awards including first place in the Community Service category and second place for Best Online News Project. “Macon in the Mirror” also was a finalist for the McClatchy President’s Award for Journalism.

Blankenship became the Murphy Center director in 2019 after serving in an interim capacity for 18 months. She currently manages the center, teaches core journalism classes, and oversees student work in our partner newsrooms.