Balancing the life of a national magazine editor and impassioned parent

If you were a human resources professional at a major magazine in New York City in the early to mid ’80s, you probably knew of Kate Meyers ’82. “I made everyone crazy until they offered me a job,” Meyers jokes. “My biggest asset was that I never took ‘no’ for an answer. Every place I applied to, I got to know the people at human resources offices because I went back so often.” Ten years and countless bylines later, Meyers’ persistence and confidence have allowed her to balance the life of an in-demand national magazine writer and editor, and impassioned mother of two children. 

Meyers’ writing career began at Trinity when she landed what she refers to as “the best job I’ve ever had in journalism, bar none.” During her junior year, Meyers approached then-editor of the Trinity Tripod, Steve Elmendorf ’82, with the idea of writing a weekly column. Elmendorf agreed to the idea and Meyers began writing on a variety of topics related to the college experience and “mutual life events that happen when you’re 19 or 20.” 

Meyers, who came to Trinity from a large high school in Pittsburgh, PA, attributes Trinity’s size as a key factor that facilitated her introduction to the field of journalism.

“Had I gone to a big school, I’m not sure I ever would have had that opportunity,” she says. “That sent me off on my career path.”

Defining a career

Following her graduation from Trinity, Meyers landed a research position with SELF magazine, followed by freelance stints at US magazine and MTV, before being hired in 1989 by Entertainment Weekly, then a fledgling publication.

Meyers has since interviewed countless celebrities for EW, including the cast of ER, Michael Jordan, and comedian Bill Murray, in addition to a list of golf aficionados ranging from jazz saxophonist Branford Marsalis to Hall of Fame catcher Carlton Fisk, at her current post as editor of Travel & Leisure Golf.

While at EW, Meyers met her husband Lee on a blind date, and they soon moved to Colorado, where she currently resides. She continued to write for EW from her home, before T&L Golf approached her. Meyers negotiated with the magazine to work four days a week from home – a demand she made with her daughters Annie, now six, and Emmy Lou, now four, in mind.

“Once I realized I could set the boundaries, it was very liberating,” says Meyers, who takes time every day to walk her daughters to school and pick them up in the afternoon. Meyers appreciates her employer’s willingness to work around her family commitments, and says she fits five days’ work into four days.

“I enjoy the freedom they give me, but I work incredibly hard to pay them back for that freedom,” she says.

Connecting with subjects

Meyers, who majored in American studies, draws on her liberal arts background in interviews and claims that such a background is an important asset to aspiring writers.

“The key in doing an interview is making a connection with someone,” Meyers explains. “The more bases you have to connect with someone, the better you are.”

Meyers’ ability to connect is clear in her cover story on 2001 British Open champion golfer David Duval in the September/October issue of T&L Golf. In the interview, Meyers engages Duval in discussions of film, books, art, and music, while avoiding typical topics such as golf technique and equipment. The result is an insightful and colorful portrayal of Duval, who is notoriously elusive with the media. 

Celebrities are not the only people Meyers interviews. She occasionally finds herself on the other side of the desk from aspiring writers seeking jobs at T&L Golf. Meyers claims that a liberal arts background equips writers with skills that are as valuable as those learned at journalism schools.

“Being a well-rounded person is just so important,” she says. “Now that I sometimes interview [job applicants], I’m much more interested in what kind of people they are, versus where they went to school.”

She points to the reading she did in her American studies courses as another factor in her development as a writer, and stresses the role of reading in developing young writers.

“The way you learn to be a writer is by not only writing but reading great writing,” she says.

Looking ahead

The Colorado journalist says that her best advice for anyone is “Always have a Plan B because Plan A is never going to go the way you want it to.”  She admits that she is still learning that lesson.

“It’s been difficult to think about golf,” Meyers says, in light of September’s tragedies, but “sports has had a unifying effect in this country, and I hope that continues to be true. While none of us will ever forget the images of last month, sometimes it’s helpful and healing to get a break.”

For the immediate future, Meyers’ goals are clear. “My big personal goal is to continue to be a good mom,” she says. She also hopes to write a book for her daughters. “I really want to write a book about my experiences in life and things I’ve learned and the people I’ve learned them from.” She also hopes to find the time in her schedule to work on her golf game and perhaps take on two new partners in her journalistic adventures.

“I just can’t wait until they get a little bit bigger and play golf so I can take them with me wherever I go,” Meyers says of her daughters. “They are my best adventure.”

 –Michael Bradley