Hometown: Windham, New York
Family: Husband, Jimm Collin, dog Riley and cat Luna
Education: B.A.(History) from Trinity College in Washington DC, M.S.T. (Teaching history) from SUNY Plattsburgh, a Benton Fellowship at the University of Chicago, and a Library degree from SUNY online
Occupation: Retired journalist
Community Involvement: Adirondack Action (founding member); Board membership with The Recovered Lounge (an Upper Jay arts center); longtime former member of the Adirondack Garden Club and Plattsburgh Noon Rotary, and President of Adirondack History in Elizabethtown
Carol Blakeslee-Collin’s life is a rich tapestry of storytelling, history, and community engagement, woven through decades of dedication to journalism and public broadcasting. The oldest of five children, Carol grew up in Windham, New York, in a close-knit family. Her parents insisted she attend a Catholic college, so she headed off to Trinity College in Washington, D.C. to study history. “That’s where I fell in love with the Library of Congress, which was my favorite study spot,” she reminisced.
Collin’s remarkable career spanned from intern to executive producer, and she has contributed on the national level to ABC News, 20/20, and PBS NewsHour. Locally she is best known for her work as Executive Producer at Mountain Lake PBS. Over 36 years, she developed and told stories that took her across the United States, from the deep South to Iowa and Montana. Her curiosity was fueled by the challenge of uncovering a great story. Some of her most memorable adventures include wading into water to explore pollution, getting up close with thousands of pigs, and getting to know a family of cotton pickers after a chance meeting at a nearby convenience store. It was, while working on the PBS NewsHour in D.C. that she met her husband, Jimm Collin, a software developer. Together, they moved to Keeseville, New York in 2004, drawn by fond memories of summers spent in nearby Keene, New York, their love for skiing, and the charm of small towns and historic old houses.
Later in life, Collin embraced her passion for history, earning a library degree and working at the Clinton County Historical Museum. Now retired at age 75, she reflects on a career filled with adventure, creativity, and a deep commitment to storytelling.
Following are excerpts from my interview with Collin.
SB: What important lessons did you learn early in your career?
CB: My parents taught me to embrace both curiosity and the unknown. Windham was a very small town where my father was a doctor. When I was a child, I would often sit in his waiting room, where there were magazines like Time and Newsweek to read. That sparked my curiosity from a young age.
SB: Do you have a mentor?
CB: One of my mentors was my first sponsor as a recovering alcoholic. Dorothy had a saying that has stuck with me over the years: “Don’t be afraid of the cliff. You must jump if you ever want to fly.” That is what storytelling is about—you go to a place you’ve never been and do what it takes to figure it out.
SB: If you could talk to your younger self, what advice would you offer?
CB: Learn to write. I gradually learned to write as a journalist later in life. And, to always be on time—I like to sleep in, but my mother worked hard trying to instill in us the importance of being on time.
SB: What has helped you become such a good storyteller?
CB: I have a stutter, and I have come to realize that it helped me in my career. It made me less imposing, and seem more human to the people I interviewed. I would tell them about my stutter right from the beginning to show my vulnerability, and it helped build connections.
SB: What is one story you worked on that stands out?
CB: A documentary on the South, where I searched for cotton pickers to interview. I found a great family in Alabama who ended up picking cotton late in the season after a run-in with the county. The experience gave me a deep understanding of how things have changed, and how they still have not changed, in America since the Civil War.
SB: If you could start your professional career over again, what would you do differently?
CB: I’d get another degree. I took a great course at SUNY Plattsburgh in environmental history, and the professor inspired me to pursue a Master’s or Doctorate in that discipline. I did not follow through, and I still think about that today.
SB: How do you work with others in difficult situations?
CB: By sharing the load and delegating tasks, whether it’s collaborating on a story or deciding where to go to dinner with a few friends.
SB: What advice would you offer to someone starting their business career?
CB: Education is important. Don’t be afraid to get another degree, especially online. It expands your horizons and makes you ask more questions, which is vital no matter what you do.
SB: What is one of the highlights of your professional career? What are you most proud of?
CB: Two things: Finding a really good story, like one in Iowa where I discovered a part-time Walmart worker who also ran a dairy farm. Also, I started the local Democratic party group in Keeseville a long time ago.
SB: What inspires you?
CB: My parents. They were never satisfied, always pushing for more. My mother was an incredibly hard worker, always doing something productive. My father was a founding member of the Board of Family Practice. He absolutely loved taking courses and going back to school throughout his career.
SB: What is something no one would guess about you?
CB: I am very afraid of heights, just like my father. Unfortunately, I discovered this while mountain climbing with my husband Jimm. Also, I have horribly unattractive knees—it is hereditary.
SB: What do you do in your free time?
CB: Reading, gardening, and baking. I spent a short time as a baker in Windham. I once filled in as a pastry chef at a hotel where I was working. I had no idea how to bake, but I said I’d try to help. I went home that day and learned to make pies from my mother. The experience helped me to discover that I enjoy it very much. My husband is a great cook—he handles the entrees, and I do the baking.
SB: What book would you recommend to a friend or colleague?
CB: Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe—it is a fabulous novel about Africa, one of the best I’ve ever read. Another is These Truths by Jill Lepore, a history book. Lepore is also a writer for The New Yorker.
SB: What is your favorite quote, and how does it speak to you in your life?
CB: “To thine own self be true,” from Hamlet. It’s a quote I’ve known and loved for a long time.
SB: How would you like to be remembered?
CB: For my independence, as a good storyteller, and as someone unafraid of the unknown.
SB: What do you believe the North Country community should do today to ensure a prosperous future?
CB: We need to emphasize education more, whether it is through hands-on education in places like Clinton Community College’s Institute for Advanced Manufacturing, or college courses. Continuous learning is essential; to allow people to take leaps and go further in life.
"For more stories about individuals making a difference in the North Country, visit Michelle St. Onge's blog." https://www.catalystproconsulting.com/s/stories
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