The Buzz VOICES OF THE BAY

By Nina Murphy

Behind the Byline

From journalism career to East Providence mayoral administration, Patricia Resende’s passion

Is Public Service

Over a 20-year journalism career, Bristol resident Patricia Resende has written it all, from penning obituaries to covering planning board meetings and interviewing entrepreneurs. In her time as digital editor and investigative reporter at WJAR NBC 10, she was the recipient of two Radio Television Digital News Association’s Edward R. Murrow Awards. The Coventry High School graduate saw her dream career in reach when she was accepted into Northeastern University’s School of Journalism after earning an associates degree from CCRI. It was at Northeastern where she had the chance to work her first co-op at The Boston Globe . The experience led to other reporting opportunities, including many years with powerhouses like The Boston Business Journal and Mass High Tech . An opportunity working for FEMA as a writing specialist and researcher following the 2010 floods tapped into her interest in public service, and these days Resende is on the other side of the interview as the director of project management and communications for East Providence Mayor Roberto DaSilva’s administration since 2019.

SCRIBE: I worked an entire year at the Boston Globe in the newsroom, covering business. I wanted the city desk so bad. I remember thinking, “Oh finance is so boring.” It was the best thing that happened to me. I learned so much about finance and real estate; I got to meet so many executives, and it really opened my eyes to a world that I wasn’t comfortable with. They allowed me to freelance while I was a co-op student which probably broke union rules.

FOR THE RECORD: At the Boston Herald city desk, I wrote probably 1,000 obituaries. It’s the best training because you have to get everything right. It’s someone’s life and their last voice.

SAME OLD: There was one news outlet where I would do all the work for a story – the research, writing, news gathering, interviews – and a male [reporter] would present it as his own. That was very troublesome to me, especially since you would think in today’s day and age that wouldn’t happen. Whereas when I would work with another female reporter, we were equal and she saw the value in what I was providing.

DREAM BIG: I remember sitting at my desk [at NBC 10] with a wall behind me of these awards, and I was like, “I’m gonna leave here with one of these some day.” That was my goal. I did it twice.

PRINT TODAY: There’s more demand for journalists to use social media and pressure for clicks and likes to go with it. There’s a rush to publish. Print is still necessary! There’s nothing like grabbing the local paper or magazine and reading it from front to back to find out what is happening at the hyper local level.

BEING THE STORY: I appreciate what journalists have to do, so I answer my phone calls and my emails on weekends or at 11pm. I know how it felt to be on deadline so I try to be as accessible as possible.

FOR THE PEOPLE: Each day is di erent. I enjoy being a part of all the change that is happening in East Providence. Journalism is similar to what I do now because I always felt that as a reporter, my job was to provide a service to the public. It’s exactly what I’m doing now – public service.

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