
Getting to Know: Amanda Blackwood
The former CEO of the Sacramento Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce looks forward to her next chapter
Amanda Blackwood, the first full-time female CEO of the Sacramento Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, will step down at the end of 2023. Here are some of her thoughts about her nearly six years in office.

Getting to Know: Tom Meschery
The former basketball pro settles into a peaceful life as a writer in Sacramento’s University Heights
Writer and Sacramentan Tom Meschery is celebrating the recent release of “The Case of the ‘66 Ford Mustang.” The series is set in Oakland, and Meschery draws from his time spent in the Bay Area, which includes playing basketball for the NBA’s Warriors during the 1960s.

Getting to Know: Mallory Maupin and Samuel Rose
Local fashion duo launches Topstitch, a production house for education, design and manufacturing in Sacramento
In their brightly lit, smartly appointed shop in Midtown, Topstitch owners Mallory Maupin and Samuel Rose teach workshops, fulfill custom orders, consult on product development and work on their own projects.

Getting to Know: Makers Mart
The production team behind a long-running holiday fair hits its stride with city funding and community support
The team behind Makers Mart, Sacramento’s annual holiday bazaar, has dealt with a litany of challenging logistics over the last decade. But the show always goes on in high style.
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Getting to Know: Lori Richardson
A film industry veteran branches into the compliance training genre — using Sacramento talent
The compliance content genre has a reputation for being outdated, but the video series Lori Richardson produces for the e-learning company Emtrain look like they could be part of a Netflix drama.
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Getting to Know: Mayra Vega
Woodland's mayor serves with an inclusive perspective and inclination for tech
As a full time director of communications in the health care field, Woodland Mayor Mayra Vega cares about including the underrepresented and boosting the city’s tech jobs.
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Getting to Know: Cole Cuchna
Podcast host makes a career out of analyzing the biggest albums in hip-hop
With “Dissect,” Cole Cuchna goes deep into his favorite
music albums, cultivating curiosity in others. Now nine
seasons in, he’s found success with a Spotify partnership
and a talk at TEDxBerkeley.
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Getting to Know: Brandon Darnell
A content director tells the stories of Sacramento
The former journalist shapes the brand for Visit
Sacramento’s web content, audio-visual output, podcast, Visitors
Guide and more.

Getting to Know: Dr. Robyn Magalit Rodriguez
A celebrated Asian American studies professor leaves the ivory tower for entrepreneurship
Encountering barriers in academia has prompted Dr. Robyn Magalit
Rodriguez to launch into entrepreneurship. She is leaving her
post as a full professor at UC Davis to create her own school,
farm and learning center.
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Getting to Know: Alycia Anderson
A Roseville-based disability advocate encourages corporate America to rethink accessibility
Alycia Anderson pivoted from a successful career as a sales
executive to start her own company
championing diversity, equity and inclusion in the
workplace.