Meet the HC Team: Beatrice Smith

Posted on 23 October, 2019

Ever wondered who exactly is behind HerCanberra?

Just as much as we love exposing the best bits of our city and those wondrous and creative souls who live here, we accept it can’t be an entirely one-sided thing.

We know you are keen to learn more about our HerCanberra team, who we are and what makes us tick.

So here we are, exposing a little of our personal lives. Enjoy getting to know us as much as we have enjoyed getting to know you.

You’ve read about our head chick Amanda Whitley, our Associate Editor Emma Macdonald and Production Manager Belinda Neame—now meet the person behind our content schedule and Facebook posts, Online Editor Beatrice Smith.

 

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A post shared by Bea (@beatricealisonsmith) on Jul 29, 2019 at 9:28pm PDT

What job do you do?

I’m the Online Editor, so I take care of the articles published on our website each day, including liaising with our team of freelancers and contributors and the core HC team to work out what needs to be published when.

The HerCanberra website publishes 4-6 editorials per day, so there’s a lot of reading involved. It also means that if you pick up on a spelling error, it’s probably my bad!

I also write and schedule our Facebook posts (I love a good pun, if you couldn’t tell), help out with Instagram and write editorial copy for our Magazine, website and clients.

One of my most rewarding jobs is coordinating our internship program. HerCanberra is a proud partner of the University of Canberra’s Work Integrated Learning (internship) program and we host a lot of Communications students, as well as students from other universities.

As the first-ever HC intern, I feel very strongly about creating practical, local opportunities for young Canberrans. Since I started our internship program four years ago, we’ve hosted more than 40 interns.

So many of them have gone on to do amazing things in the industry (including joining the HC team!) and HerCanberra wouldn’t be the same without them. They bring the most amazing energy to our office.

Favourite article you’ve written for HerCanberra?

This one about visiting Canberra’s most luxurious bordello (aka brothel). I had the best time writing it and I hope it uncovered a side of Canberra that most won’t see and many don’t understand.

Coffee/tea?

Both. In copious amounts.

Dogs versus cats?

Both. In copious amounts.

We hear you’re writing a book in your spare time?

I am! I did! It’s a YA Fantasy novel that I’m pitching as Game of Thrones meets Little Women. I’m currently going through the mildly terrifying process of ‘querying’ agents and publishers with the finished manuscript so, you know, if you know a guy…

What was your first ever experience of HerCanberra?

In 2015 I was in my final year at ANU and travelling to Sydney on a weekly basis to undertake media internships while juggling two part-time jobs and editing Woroni, the ANU student newspaper.

Moving to Sydney held no appeal in the long-term, so I cold-emailed Amanda and asked if HerCanberra took on interns. Turns out they never had before, but Amanda’s attitude was ‘Why not?’ and she immediately offered to meet me for coffee.

I still remember nervously sitting at a table in Močan and Green Grout and thinking Amanda was so glamorous–all coral lipstick and minimalist gold jewellery. She was also incredibly encouraging and warm.

Fun fact: the night before I started my internship, my then-boyfriend broke up with me out of the blue. So I was a steaming hot mess for my HC debut, running on three lattes, two hours sleep and a metric tonne of concealer.

What is your favourite thing about living in Canberra?

I grew up here, so my friends and family. I know it’s not cool to say this, but my friends are so cool.

A bunch of us are currently branching into new areas (studying midwifery! Running a co-working space! Masters in international law and climate change!) and the supportive atmosphere this creates is invaluable. It feels like anything is possible.

Summer or winter?

Winter. Humidity is gross and 40+ degrees is a special kind of hell. I think Oscar Wilde said that.

What’s in your bag?

I like to be prepared so the short answer is: too much. Medication for every ailment, enough lipstick to dress up an army and bandaids. So many bandaids.

 

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A post shared by Bea (@beatricealisonsmith) on Oct 17, 2019 at 5:32am PDT

Tell us a secret about you

I collect Wedgwood Jasperware from op-shops like the 80-year-old man I am under my makeup. Blue only though—none of that green and purple nonsense.

A perfect Canberra day would be?

Brunch with friends (and their dogs) followed by a few blissful hours of uninterrupted writing. Then some long-winded dinner with lots of wine and pizza.

I’m wearing activewear the whole time. Or head-to-toe Chanel. Either one.

We would most commonly find you where?

On the weekend I’m often at Tilley’s in Lyneham and the National Library of Australia. Both are my happy places for writing.

For downtime, I can never say no to the movies, and if it involves alcohol, it’s Bar Rochford or Assembly.

Beatrice, Online Editor, HerCanberra. Credit: Boring Headshots/Thorson Photography.

Feature image: Ashley St George.