Juliana Knight

Hi! I’m Juliana Lawrence, née Knight.

I’m a native of Schaefferstown, PA where I spent my entire life. It’s a tiny town in south-central Pennsylvania, more affectionately known as Pennsyltucky by many of the locals. I went to ELCO High School and then eventually attended Franklin & Marshall College. While in college, I earned a bachelor’s degree in English literature with a minor in comparative literature and graduated in December 2016, a semester early, which honestly wasn’t part of the plan until that September.

I’ve held many jobs, from a waitress at a local, family-owned restaurant, to working in retail, then as a receptionist at a gym. However, I always knew I wanted to write in some capacity and hoped that I would be able to find a job that allowed me to do so. I began working at BrandYourself, a small, tech startup that moved to Lancaster, the spring before my senior year. While still in school, I worked first as a Content Writer and was eventually promoted to the position of Reputation Specialist post-graduation. I helped clients monitor their online reputations through managing their websites and social media accounts. That job was an incredible learning experience for me and still allowed me to do plenty of what I love – write!

I went on to work at another marketing agency in Lancaster and began focusing more on freelancing! I enjoy the ability to choose my own hours and the projects I get to work on, which allows me to find work that I’m passionate about. My schedule for freelancing always varies, depending on what my current job requires of me and how busy I am in my personal life. I was laid off during the COVID-19 pandemic and was lucky to be able to freelance a bit while on unemployment. During the four months I wasn’t working at a traditional job, I got to spend time focusing on developing new skills, looking for freelancing opportunities, and spending time on my own hobbies.

I was fortunate to find a new job in July 2020, working for a local family-owned business in Lancaster, PA – Vanscoy, Maurer & Bash Diamond Jewelers! I’m the on-site Marketing Director and work on managing our website, social media, and brand and any other marketing needs.

When I’m not working, I enjoy spending time in downtown Lancaster, trying out the various restaurants and pubs. I also frequently visit the used bookstores and cafes you can find in that charming little city. There are also always events happening, like First Friday, which are great to check out. I’m also a member of the Lancaster Young Professionals (LYP) group, which regularly hosts lectures and networking events. Two of my other favorite places to check out local restaurants and stores are Lititz and Lebanon County. I’m a native of Lebanon County and still live there and firmly believe in the importance of patronizing the local small businesses and finding new gems in the area. I recently got married in February 2022 and my husband and I bought a home in downtown Lebanon. It’s been thrilling to discover the little hidden gems of Lebanon that I never knew were there.

I’m active in the local chapter for F&M alums and volunteer on the marketing committee for Historic Schaefferstown, the society in my hometown that hosts events at the Schaeffer Farm and furthers knowledge of the town’s history.

When I’m exploring new local spots, I enjoy hiking, reading, or working on various types of writing. I also spend plenty of time planning where I’ll be traveling to next and finding time to spend with my friends and family. I’m also passionate about causes that help animals and children, so I try to always find time to volunteer at my local humane society or at my church where I’ve volunteered as a Sunday School teacher.