Rita Cary, The River 92.5's morning DJ, is a native of Toronto, Canada, but that hasn't prevented her from making her mark on the media in the United States.

Rita graduated from the University of Western Ontario with a degree in journalism and found her first job as a wire editor at the Canadian Press. "I always wanted to be a print journalist," says Rita, "and I've always been very interested in politics." When she moved to San Antonio, Texas, Rita became a political reporter for the San Antonio Express news covering local politics. After moving to New Hampshire with her husband, she worked for the Portsmouth Herald.

So how did Rita end up in radio with a background in print journalism? "It was mostly just a huge coincidence, really. A friend of a friend needed someone to fill in at the station, and I sort of fell into it. I've always loved music and I'd been a River listener for a while. It worked out perfectly," Rita explains. She started out working weekends and overnight shifts, and seven years later, she has worked her way up the chain and has been a DJ on Morning Drive since October
of 2009.

"Even though it was a total fluke that I ended up in radio, it really is the perfect job for me," Rita says. "I've been a music fan all my life." Rita describes herself as an academic person, especially when she was in high school and at university. "I read a lot of papers, and every week I try to read the Sunday New York Times from cover to cover. I'm always interested in what's going on."

With such a variety of skills and passions, Rita is a jack-of-all-trades at the River. "I wear a lot of hats at the station. I do the Morning Drive, and I work on the Homegrown Showcase, which is a really cool show. Every weeknight at 10:00 we play one unsigned New England-area band. I wouldn't trade the morning show for the world though, I love it."

One of Rita's favorite parts of working for the River is being able to interview artists, and one of those artists was Chrissie Hynde of the Pretenders. "It was such an honor, I am a HUGE Pretenders fan. I was one of only five people in the room. She did some acoustic songs with her guitar player, James, and I was lucky enough to have the whole interview burned onto a CD. I'm thankful for my background in reporting, since it's really equipped me to do these interviews!"

Rita offers some words of wisdom for readers who are thinking about changing careers. "Obviously, having an educational background that will equip you is key. There are lots of people with lots of degrees who are not doing what they want to be doing. The bottom line is, you have to put yourself out there and hopefully what you want just comes naturally. If it doesn't, just loosen up and have a positive attitude! Be busy, attend events, be visible, and talk to people. If you are interested in other people, they will be interested in you."

To listen to Rita, listen to 92.5 FM, or visit on-line at www.wxrv.com

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