The pandemic era was confusing, to say the least. I started at the CDC in March 2020 — one week before we transitioned to full-time remote work as COVID began spreading through the U.S. So, I had to learn a lot quickly and under extremely unusual circumstances.

One of the most interesting parts of the role was storyboarding and commissioning COVID-19 “stories” (the kind you tap through, like on Snapchat or Instagram). This was when every platform was launching some version of a Stories feature, though ultimately, Instagram and Snapchat stories were the only ones that survived the pandemic.

Early COVID guidance was messy: changing recommendations, unclear distancing rules, debates over masks, and a whole lot of noise. I used stories as a way to create a strong signal. Once guidance had settled, I gathered the most up-to-date facts and incorporated them into real-world scenarios that showed people how to protect themselves and others.

I chose topics that felt relevant to my age group and my family — things like seeing friends safely, mental health, and practical hygiene tips. The characters were usually college students or young adults, and I tried to represent a diverse range of people so viewers could see themselves in the work. I put them in familiar situations: hosting backyard hangouts, cleaning dorm rooms, doomscrolling on social media, and trying to make sense of a troubling time.