Name: Kristie Grier Ceruti
Birthplace: Hazleton, PA.
College/University: King's College, Wilkes-Barre.
Occupation: Editor, The Abington Journal.

Profiles: Kristie Grier Ceruti

Kristie grew up in the Hazleton area but left Northeastern Pennsylvania to help launch an alternative entertainment weekly in the Bucks County area. “We missed the area; we missed our friends and family,” Kristie said of her decision to return to Northeastern Pennsylvania. “We were spending a lot of time commuting and we missed driving 10 minutes to work instead of 50. We missed quality of life things like the mountains; but mostly it was the people.”

Northeastern Pennsylvania offered a great chance to pursue her journalism career. “Professionally, it was a good opportunity. Newspapers are still very well received in this area.”

Kristie was determined to return to the area with new eyes. “I spent most of my youth in Luzerne County so moving back I wanted to be more familiar with Lackawanna County. I joined Leadership Lackawanna. This was a really solid way to do that. We took advantage of the tours that they offer. I was trying to move back with the eyes of someone who’s never lived here.”

Living in the Philadelphia suburbs, she found the neighborhoods lacking in “flavor.” “Here there’s nothing but flavor. The neighborhoods are still very unique with all the different ethnicities and traditions. We try to make every little festival that goes on in the area. We’re just trying to soak in all that culture.”