Emma Segrest

Emma is a graduate from the University of Cincinnati studying Journalism and Creative Writing. She currently works as a freelance writer and Audience Development specialist for Static Media. She has previously completed internships with Women of Cincy, VMSD Magazine and Movers & Makers Magazine. She is passionate about the ways that stories and ideas can be used to influence the thoughts of others and promote a greater sense of empathy. 

Emma Segrest

I am a journalist and creative writer with a passion for telling stories that resonate — the kind that linger, spark conversation, and make the overlooked impossible to ignore.

A graduate of the University of Cincinnati with a degree in Journalism and Creative Writing, I honed my editorial voice as Features Editor at The News Record. Since then, I’ve built a diverse portfolio across print and digital media, contributing to outlets like Cincinnati Magazine, Tasting Table, ArtRKL, Le Mile, and CityBeat Cincinnati. My work spans arts, culture, lifestyle, and the human moments that connect them.

I’ve brought my voice to mission-driven platforms like Women of Cincy and industry publications like VMSD Magazine, and Cincinnati Magazine, always with an eye for stories that blend creativity with journalistic integrity. Currently, I work as an Audience Development Lead for the Daily Meal at Static Media, where I merge data-driven strategy with editorial insight to elevate content and expand its impact.

Whether I’m interviewing local changemakers, covering on-site breaking news, or optimizing SEO to amplify a great story, I’m committed to crafting journalism that’s both thoughtful and compelling.

Featured Projects

Selected pieces that highlight the breadth of work completed during career

Filters & Sorting
Cincinnati Magazine •

Cincinnati Filmmakers Raise Alzheimer's Awareness with Documentary - Cincinnati Magazine

In June 2023, Cincinnati filmmakers Brett Miller and Pierce Ryan had the latter’s upcoming trip to Florida heavy on their minds. Unfortunately, this was no normal trip home for Pierce; his mother had asked him to come and begin saying goodbye to his father, Jeff Ryan.In 2018, Jeff was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s, a progressive brain disease that begins to deteriorate the patient’s cognitive abilities and bodily functions. Pierce’s mother told him that the family planned to put Jeff on...
Cincinnati CityBeat •

Children’s Book Tells Story of Cincinnati Musician’s Landmark Supreme Court Case

Mia Wenjen did not have the intention to write her latest children's book, We Sing From the Heart: How The Slants® Took Their Fight for Free Speech to the Supreme Court. Wenjen and Simon Tam’s first meeting was years before Wenjen even had the idea to pen her story. Tam, who’s a current Cincinnati resident and lead singer of The Slants, was gathering letters of support for a lawsuit to obtain a copyright for his band’s name. He discovered Wenjen through her blog, Pragmatic Mom, where she discuss...
ArtRKL •

Tony Toscani

The universal expression of melancholy is what makes the emotion so compelling to Toscani. He has centered the reimagined world of his paintings around this sentiment. Most of his paintings feature surreal figures with dramatized limbs and proportions. Their subjects often reside in liminal spaces, holding wistful expressions and shying away from direct eye contact with the viewer. Giving a corporeal form to an abstract concept such as melancholy may seem a daunting task, but through the sidecas
Cincinnati CityBeat •

Cincinnati Filmmakers to Debut Film Inspired By East Palestine Train Derailment

This story is featured in CityBeat's July 12 print edition. Pierce Ryan and Brett Miller aren’t your typical post-graduate filmmakers. While many of their film peers migrated to known cities like New York or Los Angeles, Ryan and Miller decided to make Cincinnati their creative hub for making movies, and in turn, have begun to bring a focus to independent film in the city. Recently the two 23-year-old filmmakers have begun an ambitious partnership with the Garfield Theatre to screen collect
Cincinnati CityBeat •

Sober-Curious Summer: How Cincinnatians are Navigating the Complexities of Summertime Sobriety

This story is featured in CityBeat's June 28 print edition. Walking into the monthly High Vibe Dance Party at Alice in Over-the-Rhine feels like walking into any other club experience: there’s dancing, laughter and an infectious urge to join the party. The energy is so captivating it is hard to believe it’s an alcohol-free event. The only drink allowed on their dance floor is water, but participants don’t seem to mind. In fact, for some, this rule allows them the freedom to enjoy their nigh
ArtRKL •

Art History Feuds: Michelangelo and Leonardo Da Vinci

The battle between artistic gods and the legacy left behind The spectacle of great artistry lends itself to becoming the breeding ground for intense personalities and even more intense rivalries. Feuds between artists have existed since the Renaissance and are often fueled by competitive jealousy between masters of the craft. Take, for example, Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci. Both artists hold an iconic status as pioneers of an incredible artistic rebirth and both dramatically redefined the
Whitehot Magazine of Contemporary Art •

Britt Michaelian on healing through art

Britt Michaelian, courtesy Jason Mintzer Photography   By EMMA SEGREST March 5, 2024 In the crossroads of grief, spirituality, healing and art sits Britt Michaelian. Combining an output of creativity with deep-seated connection with the natural world, Michaelian has developed her own niche in art-making. Michaelian has always been a creatively inclined individual. She recalls spending her childhood fascinated with drawing, and watching others create art. This lifetime fascination and practice le...
ArtRKL •

Noah Kocher

Noah Kocher believes that art and love exist in the same plane—to immerse himself in one fully, he must immerse himself in the other. The 27-year-old Brooklyn-based artist has learned to let his heart guide his creative process. From dreamy paintings to otherworldly collages, Noah Kocher has created an artistic world filled with melting landscapes, unique characters, and a strange sense of familiarity. Art was never originally the plan for the Tennessee native. He recalls a high school art class
Tasting Table •

The USDA's New Summer EBT Program Will Provide Groceries For 21 Million Children

The USDA's New Summer EBT Program Will Provide Groceries For 21 Million Children The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced via press release that beginning in the summer of 2024, a new grocery benefits program targeted at children will launch in 35 states, five U.S. territories, and four tribes. This program, known as the Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer (Summer EBT), will fill the food insecurity gaps some children may experience when school is not in session. The states, territories,
Mashed •

Every Exclusive CosMc's Food Item, Ranked Worst To Best

Every Exclusive CosMc's Food Item, Ranked Worst To Best Mcdonald's newest project is a brand new chain of restaurants called CosMc's. This new chain focuses primarily on specialty beverages but has a limited menu of different breakfast and snack items as well. The first location of this new chain opened on December 7, 2023, in Bolingbrook, IL. Additional locations are set to be rolled out in 2024. While a portion of CosMc's menu is shared with McDonald's, they do have a few items exclusive to th
Whitehot Magazine of Contemporary Art •

Ruby Roth On Women As Powerful Vessels Of Processing

Ruby Roth’s art originated from a place of pain and an intense desire to define these feelings through vivid imagery. At age three, Roth received a scoliosis diagnosis followed by years of intense, painful treatment to help correct it. Before she could articulate what she was feeling, Roth was using art as an outlet to show her inner secrets, hopes, and feelings. This art manifested as women's figure drawings, which Roth used as a way to live vic
Mashed •

19 CosMc's Drinks, Ranked Worst To Best

Mcdonald's has recently opened a brand new chain called CosMc's which focuses on coffees, teas, and other specialty beverages. The first location of this new chain opened in December 2023, in Bolingbrook, Illinois. Additional locations are set to be rolled out in 2024. Centered around an intergalactic theme, CosMc's menu features a variety of new and exciting drinks not available at your local McDonald's. While you eagerly wait for a CosMc's to open near you, I've gone ahead and tried its new dr
ArtRKL •

Greta Schneider

Greta Schneider approaches her painting process in an unusual fashion. Before she picks up a paintbrush, she picks up a pen. Her art begins with a story—whether she draws from personal narrative or from works of mythology, Schneider begins by writing about her vision, subsequently crafting her work in its image. Storytelling is important to Schneider. When looking at the breadth of her work, you can see her personal story unfold across canvases, prints, pictures, and sketches, illustrating her p
Art | ArtRKL | Miami •

The Story Behind America’s Favorite Painting

When creating Song of the Lark, French realism painter Jules Breton could not predict the cultural hold his painting would have on an American audience. As the Industrial Revolution continued its capitalistic dominance across the Western world, art was shifting from the surreal, longing of romanticism to the more grounded, accuracy of realism. Song of the Lark was created at a time when nostalgia for rural life was just beginning to bloom and the future of technology felt boundless. The oil pai
The News Record •

An American in Paris: CCM ballet major shares her study abroad experiences so far

Paris. For decades the city has been a social hub for artists of all mediums. There is something in the air that beckons generation after generation of artists to come learn of its bohème life view. For third-year ballet and French dual-major Rebekah Docea, Paris has been the goal for years. After being set back several times because of COVID-19 complications, Docea has finally achieved her dream of studying her passions in the city of lights.
The News Record •

‘This response is belittling to survivors’: UC officials refuse to discuss why they issue few alerts when rapes are reported on campus

However, James Whalen – who serves as UC’s public safety director and police chief – declined requests from The News Record for an interview to discuss its finding that in 2018 and 2019, officials chose not to issue crime alerts for almost 80% of rapes reported on campus. The federal Clery Act requires universities to issue timely warnings when there are known risks to public safety on campus.
Load More Articles