Staff

Christal Gaines-Emory

Christal Gaines-Emory

Editor-in-Chief
Journalism Major and Human Development Minor 2024
(She/Her)


Christal would like to be a breaking news or crime reporter, she loves baking, writing, taking care of her houseplants and spending time out in nature. Christal’s comfort foods are soup and dark chocolate.

Samuel Chacko

Samuel Chacko

Managing Editor
Journalism Major 2025
(He/Him)


Samuel covers sports, news and community stories. Sam’s hopes to become a sports analyst for ESPN and his comfort food is chicken nuggets and fries.

El Nicklin

El Nicklin

Multimedia Managing Editor
Philosophy Major, Photography Minor and Graphic Design Minor 2024


El is planning to attend the philosophy grad program at CSULB, with the intent of one day being a philosophy professor. El’s favorite comfort food is mac n cheese or any other noodle dish.

Sam Farfan

Sam Farfan

Community Engagement Editor
Journalism Major & Communication Studies Minor 2024
(She/Her/Ella)


Sam loves to practice new songs on the guitar, rollerskate at rinks and work on spray painting projects with friends. Her favorite comfort food is her parents’ Mexican food. Specifically, their sopes, tostadas and enchiladas michoacánas.

Mary Catipay

Mary Catipay

Design Editor
Communication Studies Major & Public Relations Minor 2024
(She/Her)


Mary would like to work in the music or entertainment industry in the future and she enjoys listening to music, photography, video editing and making zines. Mary’s favorite comfort food is supreme brie spread on organic naan crackers from Trader Joe’s or just animal fries.

Luis Castilla

Luis Castilla

Design Assistant
Journalism Major 2024
(He/Him)


Luis plays guitar and collects records. Luis is happy to see what happens next and enjoys burgers.

Emannuelle Obaseki

Emannuelle Obaseki

Design Assistant
Journalism Major & International Studies Minor 2025
(She/Her)


Nuelle’s future plans are to write, photograph or design for magazines such as National Geographic, GQ or Rolling Stone. Emannuelle’s favorite comfort food is a bagel with lox cream cheese.

Jazmin Arellano Gallardo

Jazmin Arellano Gallardo

Copy Editor
German MA 2024
(She/Her)


Jaz would love to work as an editor at a publishing house or newspaper. Jazmin loves to dance ballet folklórico, read manga and write in her freetime. Jaz’s favorite comfort food is Spaghetti.

Nicholas Broadhead

Nicholas Broadhead

Copy Editor Assistant
Journalism Major 2024
(He/Him)


Nick wants to be a reporter for esports, whether it be for online publications or on site personality. Nick’s hobbies are watching esports and playing video games. Nicholas’ comfort food is chicken strips.

Jaylyn Preslicka

Jaylyn Preslicka

Copy Editor Assistant
Journalism Major 2025 & Sociology Minor 2023


Jaylyn wants to be a music journalist for The Rolling Stones Magazine and loves to interview musicians. Jaylyn’s comfort food is Placki Ziemniaczane.

Stacey Chen

Stacey Chen

Copy Editor Assistant
English Creative Writing Major 2025
(She/Her)


Stacey’s future plan is to be a fantasy novelist and loves drawing, reading, watching anime or movies. Stacey’s favorite food is Japanese curry rice.

Juan M. Calvillo

Juan M. Calvillo

News Editor
Journalism Major 2025
(He/Him)


Juan wants to start his own local, online paper and his hobbies are gaming, walking and spending time with the family dog. Juan’s comfort food is burgers.

Acsah Lemma

Acsah Lemma

Breaking News Assistant
Journalism Major 2025
(She/Her)


Acsah wants to be a foreign correspondent based in Africa or the Middle East. Acsah's comfort food is injera, more specifically she loves to eat injera with doro wot, tikil gomen and miser wot.

Linsey Towles

Linsey Towles

Local News Assistant
Journalism Major 2025
(She/Her)


As a journalism major, Linsey hopes to go into the field after graduation, reporting and photographing local breaking news and events. Linsey's favorite comfort food is poké.

Anthony Orrico

Anthony Orrico

Local News Assistant
Journalism Major 2024
(He/Him)


Anthony would like to be an investigative journalist for a national news outlet and plays the drums in several bands right now and likes to play golf in his free time. Rico’s comfort food is cheeseburgers.

Elizabeth Basile

Elizabeth Basile

Breaking News Assistant
Journalism Major 2024
(She/Her)


Elizabeth wants to be a professional reporter and editor. Lizzie’s favorite comfort food is macaroni and cheese.

Natasha Castanedo

Natasha Castanedo

Arts and Life Editor
Anthropology Major 2024
(She/Her)


Natasha hopes to work as a journalist who covers cultural stories about music, food and people. Mexican food is Tash’s ultimate comfort food.

Renzo Pocasangre

Renzo Pocasangre

Arts and Life Assistant
Political Science Major & Film Minor Spring 2024
(He/Him)


Renzo hopes to work with or write documentaries or films for a reputable production company and loves practicing with his guitars. Renzo’s favorite comfort food is Al Pastor street tacos.

Samantha Cortes

Samantha Cortes

Arts and Life Assistant
Journalism Major & Marketing Minor 2024
(She/Her)


Samantha hopes to become an entertainment journalist and her dream publication to work for is Rolling Stone. Samantha enjoys listening to music and attending concerts in her free time while her comfort spot is In-n-out.

Georgie Smith

Georgie Smith

Opinions Editor
Journalism Major 2024
(She/Her)


Georgie would love to continue freelancing and work for another publication. Her hobbies are listening to music, yoga, jewelry making and roller skating. Georgie’s comfort food is pizza.

Cheyenne Elizarraras

Cheyenne Elizarraras

Opinions Assistant
Journalism Major 2024
(She/Her)


Cheyenne loves to hike, write poetry and thrift. Her comfort food is pasta.

Maya-Claire Glenn

Maya-Claire Glenn

Opinions Assistant
Journalism Major & Political Science Minor 2025
(She/They)


Maya-Claire wants to be an independent political commentator and Maya-Claire loves anything that includes a giant pile of noodles.

Davis Ramage

Davis Ramage

Sports Editor
Journalism Major 2025
(He/Him)


Davis wants to be a sports analyst for ESPN and loves playing plus watching sports. Davis’ favorite food is Sushi.

Alyssa De La Cruz

Alyssa De La Cruz

Sports Assistant
Journalism Major 2025
(She/Her)


Alyssa would like to either work as a baseball journalist for ESPN and loves to watch sports, go to games, listen to music, go to concerts and travel. Her favorite comfort food is McDonald’s french fries.

Matthew Coleman

Matthew Coleman

Sports Assistant
Journalism Major 2025
(He/Him)


Matthew’s goal is to be in sports media as a journalist and is a big sports fan, so he always enjoys watching and attending games, he also likes to travel. Matthew’s comfort food/drink would be boba.

Matthew Gomez

Matthew Gomez

Sports Assistant
Journalism Major 2024
(He/Him)


Matthew wants to work as a beat writer for the Athletic and loves birdwatching. Matty G.’s favorite comfort food is Pupusas.

Naoki Gima

Naoki Gima

Photo Editor
Journalism Major 2024
(He/Him)


Naoki’s future goal is to be a sports analyst or team photographer and his hobbies are spending time with family, watching sports, and taking photos. Naoki’s comfort food is Peruvian food.

Mark Siquig

Mark Siquig

Photo Assistant
Journalism Major 2025
(He/Him)


Mark’s future plan is to be a freelance photographer and he loves playing basketball with friends and taking photos. Mark’s comfort food is pizza and wings (must have ranch).

Marlon Villa

Marlon Villa

Photo Assistant
Journalism Major 2024
(He/Him)


Marlon wants to be a photojournalist in the future and is big in collecting vinyl records plus comic books. Marlon’s favorite comfort food is burgers.

Aidan Swanepoel

Aidan Swanepoel

Podcast Editor
Post Production Film & Electronic Arts 2024
(He/Him)


Aidan wants to be an editor and sound engineer for documentaries. Aidan's favorite comfort food is Olive Garden breadsticks.

Lei Madrigal

Lei Madrigal

Podcast Assistant
Journalism Major 2025
(She/Her)


Lei wants to host a routine segment that airs daily on an NPR station somewhere in the Pacific Northwest and enjoys obsessing over her houseplants, collecting Beanie Babies and overspending on eBay. Lei’s comfort food is strawberries.

Julia Goldman

Julia Goldman

Podcast Assistant
Journalism Major 2025
(She/Her)


Julia has a wish to share human stories of addiction, mental health, and unconventionality. Julia is also interested in working in the esports industry as a video games journalist. Julia's favorite food is Bún Bò Huê.

Maureen Linzaga

Maureen Linzaga

Social Media Editor
Journalism Major 2024
(She/Her)


Mau wants to establish her own multimedia publication on Asian-American diaspora/lifestyle/entertainment news. Maureen’s comfort food is strawberry matcha boba.

Jahir Olvera

Jahir Olvera

Social Media Assistant
Journalism Major 2023
(They/Them)


Jahir wants to be a social media manager for Spotify and likes to play video games and watch movies in their free time. Jahir’s comfort food is pizza.

Maher Basharahil

Maher Basharahil

Social Media Assistant
Journalism Major 2024
(He/Him)


Maher loves playing basketball and is a DJ but wants to work somewhere in the Digital/Social Media Marketing sphere. Memo’s comfort food is the In-n-Out 4x4 burger.

Alina Ti

Alina Ti

Video Editor
Communications & Journalism Minor 2025
(She/Her)


Alina wants to be a film/TV producer in the future and her favorite comfort food is pasta, specifically the spicy fusilli pasta popularized by Gigi Hadid.

Steven Matthews

Steven Matthews

Video Assistant
Journalism Major 2024
(He/Him)


Steven is planning to work in TV news production and he likes to cook, take pictures and video and mod video games. Steven’s comfort food is a pan seared, rosemary & garlic butter basted rib-eye (with a toasted shallot-based pan sauce), with a side order of oven roasted mini-red potatoes.

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