Krista Minard is a writer, editor and proofreader based in Folsom. The former editorial director of Sacramento Magazine, she’s also a travel writer and enjoys profiling leaders in the Capital Region. She also volunteers in writing workshops with 916 Ink, a Sacramento-based youth literacy organization, and edits novels, memoirs and story collections for local authors.

Jacob Peterson is a longtime Sacramento resident who recently earned his bachelor’s in journalism from Sacramento State. Jacob has previously held the positions of news and visuals editor at The State Hornet and had work published in Sacramento News & Review. He has covered a variety of topics, some of which include NAGPRA, former foster youth in college, local film festivals and the 2024 Sacramento Mayor’s race. Outside of news coverage he also writes a bi-weekly horror movie review column, “Horror Heaven,” on his personal blog, having been a fan of the genre since childhood.

Cathy Cassinos is a writer who specializes in music, the arts and health, but any good story will do. A lifelong journalist, Cathy was an entertainment writer for major daily newspapers before moving to New York City, where she found her dream job as editor-in-chief of an educational music magazine. (She still misses it.) She obsesses daily about music and cats. More at www.cathycassinos.com.

Casey Rafter is a music and feature writer whose work has appeared in Sacramento News & Review and Comstock’s. He is also a student at Sac State and hosts a weekly radio music show on its college station, KSSU.

Sarah Bun is a cookbook author and food, health and wellness writer who has written for Eater, Medicinal Media and Nevada’s NPR Desert Companion.

Helen Harlan is a Sac native and former Los Angeles actor, writer and Hollywood-y showbiz assistant. She holds a B.A. in theater from UCLA and a dues-paid-up SAG card. For four semesters from 2022-2023, she was a staff writer and then the News Editor at The Cosumnes River College Connection She is a lifelong Seinfeld enthusiast and lives in Oak Park with her two cats, Bob Sacamano and The Boy Named Sue.

Marie-Elena Schembri is an award-winning journalist reporting on education, art, culture and community-facing issues. She lives in the Sierra foothills and is associate editor for the weekly Calaveras Enterprise Newspaper.

Gabriel Teague is a multi-disciplinary creative dedicated to visual storytelling. Most recently as art director for Sacramento Magazine, he thrives in transforming concepts and themes into visually captivating stories. He holds a BS in graphic design and a BA in photography from Sacramento State University. He also completed an MA in visual communication from the Glasgow School of Art in Scotland. When not globe-trotting or adventure-seeking, he can be found living and working in Northern California.

Sasha Abramsky is a Sacramento-based freelance journalist. He is the Western correspondent for The Nation Magazine and has written nine books, the latest being “Little Wonder: The Fabulous Story of Lottie Dod, the World’s First Female Sports Superstar.”

Marybeth Bizjak is a writer who specializes in dining, restaurants, chefs and all things food-related. Before moving to Sacramento in 1990, she lived and worked in Washington, D.C., London and San Francisco and wrote for numerous publications, including The New York Times, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar, TV Guide, Women’s Wear Daily, W and Premiere. She’s also the author of a book, “Coffee Crazy: A Guide to the 100 Best Coffeehouses in America.”