Email: Crystal.Lauderdale@patch.com

Phone: 813-344-9143

Hometown: Meridian, MS

Bio: Crystal L. Lauderdale is Patch's Associate Editorial Director for the Southeast, leading local coverage teams in Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Virginia and the Carolinas. She's passionate about community news and conversation and loves helping to connect neighbors through Patch!

Crystal's home community is covered by Seminole Heights Patch in Tampa, Florida where she lives, shops, eats and works when she isn't traveling or attending class as a University of Florida MBA candidate.

Beliefs

At Patch, we promise always to report the facts as objectively as possible and otherwise adhere to the principles of good journalism. However, we also acknowledge that true impartiality is impossible and human beings have beliefs. So in the spirit of simple honesty, our policy is to encourage our editors to reveal certain key beliefs to the extent they feel comfortable.

This disclosure is not a license for our editors to inject these beliefs into stories or to dictate coverage according to them. In fact, the intent is the opposite: we hope that the knowledge that our beliefs are on the record will force us to be ever mindful to write, report, and edit in a fair, balanced way. And if you, the user, ever think you see evidence that we failed in this mission, we wholeheartedly invite you to let us know.

Politics 

How would you describe your political beliefs?

I am registered as an Independent and consider myself moderate on most issues. I like to assess issues and candidates on a case-by-case basis.

Religion

How religious would you say you are? Casual, observant, devout, non-religious?

I was raised Mormon, most of my family is Baptist, and my husband is Catholic. I don't attend church regularly, but I do try to emulate the values I was taught growing up, and I actively try to read about, learn about and understand religion, spirituality and faith. I deeply respect our nation's history of religious tolerance and enjoy the conversation and diversity of ideas it allows.