Rayna was heavily involved in this documentary from pre- through post-production. She conducted research, identified and pre-interviewed voices and scoured court documents.

Rayna spent a week in Los Angeles as the field producer alongside CNN anchor/correspondent Abby Phillip. She helped plan and coordinate shoots in LA and NY, working with sources, photographers and senior producers.

She worked with a freelance videographer to acquire and license material included in this documentary. She helped manage all incoming and archival media, and worked with editors, senior producers and the production assistant throughout the entire editing process.

“Homebirth Journey: Saving Black Moms” delves into why a growing number of Black women are choosing to give birth at home and foregoing the care of a doctor in a hospital. CNN Anchor Abby Phillip meets with some of these women and examines the deep distrust that many Black women feel when it comes to hospital care.”

This aired on CNN on December 17, 2023. Watch it on Max here.

This show received an Emmy nomination in the category of Outstanding Health or Medical Coverage (2024).

Rayna was sent to Paris to solo field produce an interview and broll for this documentary. She planned the entire multi-day shoot, coordinating with the source and international photographers.

She was solely in charge of searching for and hiring seven background actors for reenactment scenes, which included posting the roles on a casting website and reviewing more than 100 applicants. She was also tasked with securing an airplane set to film at in Los Angeles, as well as acquiring and organizing all props and costumes needed.

Rayna spent several days alongside the senior producer filming in Los Angeles. She was also involved in the edit.

“Ahead of Flight 1549’s anniversary, The Whole Story with Anderson Cooper is exclusively sitting down with its captain, Ambassador C.B. “Sully” Sullenberger, and passengers to reflect on how this extraordinary event has changed their lives forever.”

This aired on CNN on January 7, 2024. Watch it on Max here.

Rayna assisted with searching for and booking guests for this documentary, which included mining social media and reaching out to numerous individuals. She led the coordination of all technical aspects required to set up and record the remote interviews.

Rayna conducted six interviews, including highly sensitive interviews with a victim of the terror attack as well as family members whose loved ones had been kidnapped by Hamas. The team quick-turned this documentary in one week.

“The rockets began around 6:30 a.m. as Gaza militants fired at the hundreds of attendees at an Israeli music festival. Featuring new interviews with survivors and eyewitnesses of the attack and family members of kidnapped victims, Anderson Cooper breaks down everything we know so far about the deadly assault and how this surprise attack escalated into war.”

This aired on CNN on October 15, 2023. Watch it on Max here.

This show, along with its followup "Hostage to Terror," won the Emmy Award for Outstanding Continuous News Coverage: Long Form (2024).

Rayna conducted multiple interviews that were featured in this documentary, including with OceanGate Expeditions investor Aaron Newman, CBS Correspondent David Pogue and Titanic expert Dr. Joe MacInnis. She led the coordination of all technical aspects required to set up and record remote interviews.

“Five passengers on the Titan submersible that was diving 13,000 feet to view the Titanic on the ocean floor perished in a “catastrophic implosion,” authorities said Thursday, bookending an astounding five-day international search operation near the site of the world’s most famous shipwreck. CNN National Correspondent Randi Kaye unravels the timeline of events.”

This aired on CNN on July 2, 2023. Watch it on Max here.

Rayna associate produced this piece, including conducting initial research and pre-interviews, doing extensive vetting and background interviews, and managing media pre- and post- shoots.

This story received an Emmy nomination in the category of Outstanding Soft Feature Story: Short Form (2022).

For this CNN Heroes montage piece, Rayna searched national and in-house databases for photos and videos, as well as social media. She helped facilitate licensing of content. This piece aired across CNN and HLN channels, as well as on digital and social platforms, where it amassed more than 2 million views in 48 hours.

For truck drivers who want to participate in religious services, finding a place to worship can be difficult. Truckstop Ministries Inc. set out to change that. Rayna pitched, filmed and edited this video.

Read the accompanying text story here, which was published in the Columbia Missourian print edition and was picked up by the Associated Press.

This story placed ninth out of 74 entries nationwide in a Hearst Journalism Awards competition and was chosen as one of two multimedia pieces to represent the University of Missouri.

This video was commissioned for the Missouri School of Journalism by the associate dean for undergraduate studies and the communications director to be used for recruitment purposes and on the school’s social media. Rayna filmed and edited this video.

Additional filming: Kyreon Lee, Emily Sanderson and Shannon Sankey. Drone footage: Marlee Baldridge and Judd Slivka.

[Sept. 28, 2017]

[Dec. 21, 2017]

[April 19, 2018]

[Jan. 4, 2018]