“I often say that NEPA chose me. There was never a question. It was just always that I was going to be here. It's a great place to live.”
Originally from Poughkeepsie, Kerry Miscavage grew up in the beautiful Hudson Valley in Upstate New York. Raised alongside her twin and younger brothers, Kerry participated in the arts and rowing on the Hudson River while in high school. After graduation, she traded one stunning riverside community for another when she chose Wilkes University for college thanks to its small size and beautiful campus populated with old mansions.
After a fulfilling education and forging lasting friendships, Kerry decided to stay in Northeastern Pennsylvania, which by then had already felt like home, to start a career as an advertising assistant at the Times Leader. Over the course of her 29 year tenure, Kerry has advanced to Publisher, a role she’s held for the past three years.
Through work, she met her husband of 16 years, Michael, a NEPA native and owner of Top of the Slope Ski Shop. Together, they built a life in White Haven on a tranquil piece of property.
She recently took a break from her day to chat about the juxtaposition between her busy corporate day job and the serene escape she finds at home, working on the 1950s home she and Michael share with their dogs. And we had to know, Why NEPA?
How long have you lived in NEPA?
33 years.
What do you love about your town?
I love the city of Wilkes-Barre. Obviously, I’ve worked downtown for 29 years. I wouldn’t want to work anywhere else. I know all the businesses. I know where to go. I know the streets. I know the heartbeat of the city, and it’s important for the Times Leader and our team to be downtown and print and have manufacturing in downtown Wilkes-Barre. We just love being a part of the city.
White Haven is kind of the opposite. It’s quieter. It’s small. We have a lot of travelers coming in and out of town for biking and whitewater rafting and all the things that the country can offer. So, while in Wilkes-Barre, a lot of people know me and see me every day, in White Haven, it’s a different story. It’s quiet and we’re all just regular people.
What’s your favorite NEPA restaurant?
That is very hard because we have so many great restaurants in the city area, but on the weekends, my husband and I mostly stay in the Mountain Top area. So, we enjoy Adelina’s and Powerhouse. They are our go-tos. Close to home, great homemade food and just good quality. We always, always have a great meal at both locations.
What’s your favorite thing to do in NEPA?
I just love what the area offers. We have skiing. We have the outdoor activities. We have hiking and plenty of things to do. The area has grown so much – we have sports like Penguins hockey and RailRiders baseball. Everything you want to do is right here in Northeastern PA. We just enjoy experiencing everything the area has to offer.
What’s next for you?
What’s next is continuing to do what we do here at the Times Leader. The newspaper business has been evolving and changing since I started. There’re recent changes with the newspaper business doing less print, more digital. But at the same time, the community need and our readership overall is larger. So we will continue what we do here at the Times Leader to support the community and bring out the best stories that the region has to offer. And also be a catalyst for positive change for this region.
Personally and professionally, I’m the same person, so it’s all wrapped up into one for me. On the personal side, I just turned 50 last year, so with that comes changes in perspective. It’s about having good experiences, fun experiences with family and friends, and making the best out of life.
Where do you see NEPA heading in the future?
This area has grown so much in the 33 years that I’ve been here, and it’s continuing to do so in manufacturing, medical care, and many other sectors of business. I see it as a continual growth path for the region, and we’re a media company that has to go along with that ride, support it, and ensure everyone knows where we’re going and how we’re going to get there. It’s exciting.
Why NEPA?
As I said, I think NEPA chose me because of the paths I have taken, and not for one second have I thought of leaving the area. I’m really happy here. We’re close to Philadelphia, close to New York, close to the beaches. We have everything we want here and accessibility to everything.
