Beacon staff writer

Office phone: 757-222-5102

Email: rita.frankenberry@pilotonline.com

Rita Frankenberry is a staff writer with the Beacon.

After graduating from Old Dominion University, Frankenberry spent several years working for a weekly newspaper chain in northern Virginia, where she covered city government and education.  Later, she gained experience as a copy editor at a daily newspaper in West Virginia, and became assistant lifestyles editor.  Frankenberry relocated to Hampton Roads and began working as a business reporter with Inside Business.  There, she won three Best Scoop awards from the Association of Area Business Pages for stories she uncovered.  Also while working for Inside Business, she won an award from the Virginia Press Association for critical writing.