Meet Our Current Contributors

Chris Woodard is a Sacramento native, journalist and music nerd who brings his curious nature and energy to every story. He previously served as managing editor of The State Hornet at Sacramento State, where he led a newsroom of student journalists and helped the publication earn national recognition and national awards. His reporting now focuses on Asian American and Pacific Islander communities across Sacramento. Chris uses his passion for diverse narratives and experience in editing and leadership to his work for audiences across Northern California.

Fred Greaves is an editorial and commercial photographer based in the Sacramento region who works for a diverse group of regional, national and international clients who value and regularly rely on his visual storytelling skills. Fred’s ability to put people at ease in front of his camera, his flexibility and problem solving skills have allowed him to work in unique and challenging environments, from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, to covering major wildfires, environmentally friendly fisheries, or making portraits in a kindergarten class or a corporate boardroom.

Helen Harlan is a Sacramento native and former Los Angeles actor, writer and Hollywood-y showbiz assistant. For four semesters from 2022-2023, she was a staff writer and news editor at the student paper The Connection at Cosumnes River College. She is a lifelong “Seinfeld” enthusiast and lives in Oak Park with her two cats. Her writing can also be found in SFGATE and Comstock’s magazine.

Andri Tambunan is an independent visual journalist based in Sacramento. Photography started as a medium to capture a fleeting moment, and the camera allowed him to connect to the world and convey his thoughts and ideas through pictures. However, early in his career, he realized that having a camera in his hand gave him both a rare privilege and a profound responsibility. He specializes in long-term narrative, and focuses on social justice, environmental conservation and identity. He uses the visual narrative to inform, engage and impact social change.

Marie-Elena Schembri is a writer, photographer and visual artist living in the quaint foothill town of Mokelumne Hill in the Sierra Nevada mountains. She earned a Bachelor of Art in studio arts with a concentration in visual media from the University of Nebraska-Omaha, where she also studied creative and technical writing. She also received an Associate’s degree in Applied Science with a concentration in Commercial Photography from Metropolitan Community College in Omaha, Nebraska. She writes a monthly visual arts column for Solving Sacramento.

Patti Roberts has covered the arts for more than 30 years, concentrating on the theater community. She started as an entertainment reporter and editor in Los Angeles. After moving to Sacramento, she began doing arts coverage for Sacramento News & Review. Patti received her journalism degree from California State at Northridge. She has worked in communications jobs, taught communications for UC Davis Extension for 10 years and now teaches writing to 3-6 graders with 916 Ink. She’s enthusiastic about theater, and loves to travel, ride her bike and volunteer at River City Food Bank.

Justine Chahal is a freelance reporter based in Sacramento. Chahal writes about the Sacramento arts and culture scene, and individuals who use their creativity to better the region. She is a graduate of Sacramento State and San Joaquin Delta College.

Steve Martarano is a freelance writer and photographer, who regularly contributes to several local publications, including Solving Sacramento and Comstock’s magazine. Steve retired from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 2018, after having served as public affairs specialist with the San Francisco Bay-Delta office in Sacramento. Before his 30-year career in government, he spent 10 years as a reporter for the Sacramento Union. A journalism graduate of the University of Nevada in Reno, he’s established two journalism endowments benefiting UNR students.

Jennifer Junghans writes about agriculture and food systems, wildlife, conservation, nature and ecosystems for audiences of all ages across print, web and radio. Jennifer also develops creative writing projects, including workbooks that promote well-being and compassion for people, animals and the planet. Her latest projects include workbooks for children navigating their parents’ divorce.

Janine Mapurunga got her first camera at age 10, a gift from her grandmother. At 16, she left Brazil alone, determined to break free from a culture where violence against women is normalized. Today, she is a documentary photographer and filmmaker whose work blends storytelling, social practice and design. For over 25 years, she has created community-based projects in the U.S. and abroad, often amplifying the voices of elders. She is developing Bien Juntitos, a bilingual oral history project focused on Spanish-speaking immigrant elders in Sacramento.

Xavier Figueora is a concert and event photographer. He loves capturing action moments whether an artist performing or a crucial moment in a sports game, it’s always been a fun and interesting challenge to capture moments that only happen in a few seconds. Outside of the chaotic nature of event photography, he loves capturing landscapes, cityscapes, and candid moments. In his free time, he enjoys collecting vinyls, hiking and volunteering as a haunted house actor.

Casey Rafter is a freelance journalist and Sacramento native who covers arts and entertainment, affordable housing and the unhoused population. He co-produces and co-hosts Solving Sacramento’s arts podcast “Creativity in the Capital.” Rafter also hosts live music and interviews weekly at KSSU, the student-run station at Sacramento State, where he earned a bachelor degree in journalism. His writing has been published by Sacramento News & Review, The Observer, Comstock’s, Sacramento Business Journal and now-shuttered Sacramento Magazine.

Lisa Thibodeau is a writer, editor and farmer in Loomis. She holds a B.A. in English from Sacramento State and an unofficial education in plants. She contributes to local media and her own publication, Calendula, a journal of flowers. She writes about food, agriculture, California and the arts.

Samin Vafaee is an independent journalist and Sacramento State graduate with a degree in political science and journalism. She found her calling in the newsroom after the events of 2020 sparked a deeper interest in politics and public accountability. Since then, she has reported on homelessness, housing policy, social justice and public safety. As a first-generation Iranian American, Samin uses her cultural perspective with a commitment to truthful, community-centered reporting. She believes journalism should not only inform but also inspire civic engagement.

Gabriel Teague lives for visual storytelling — whether through art direction, photography or design. He loves turning ideas into artwork that make people feel something real. As the former art director at Sacramento Magazine, he worked with a variety of subject matter, always chasing a perfect mix of beauty and truth. Photography is his other passion, letting him capture raw, honest moments. When not creating, Gabriel enjoys traveling, meeting new people and finding inspiration in unexpected places.

Kachiside Madu is a photographic activist and sports photographer from Sacramento’s Valley Hi neighborhood. His commitment toward social justice and community empowerment began at the early age of 8 years old. Madu’s childhood experiences, along with majoring in psychology and school counseling, ignited a desire to accurately depict communities that America has historically falsified through mass media. His photography has been exhibited in the Crocker Art Museum and the Brickhouse Art Gallery.

Srishti Prabha is a journalist and storyteller whose work spans radio, print and digital media. They are currently an intern with The California Report Magazine at KQED, producing longform human interest features, and a specialist with the News Revenue Hub, supporting independent newsrooms nationwide. Their reporting has appeared in NPR, Solving Sacramento, The Sacramento Observer and East Palo Alto Today. Most recently, Prabha covered education for CapRadio as a Report for America corps member. Before that, they served as managing editor of India Currents.

Russell Nichols is a freelance journalist with two decades of experience. He specializes in science, technology, culture and the social constructs that colonize the mind. His stories have appeared in publications including TIME, Men’s Health, The Boston Globe, Governing, and other outlets. Raised in Richmond, California, he got rid of all his stuff in 2011 to live out of a backpack with his wife, vagabonding around the world ever since.

Rachel Leibrock is a Northern California-based freelance journalist writer and editor who covers current events, politics, and arts and culture. Rachel teaches journalism at American River College and is working on a memoir.

Ruth Finch is a photojournalist, videographer and musician. She moved to Sacramento from Tehachapi in 2022 to attend Sacramento State. In her free time, she loves making electronic music, film photography and filmmaking. As a transgender woman, she has a vested interest in representing her community, and making LGBTQ+ voices heard. She also loves to cover music, art and housing. She’s a recipient of a Sacramento Press Club Scholarship and a Grassroots Gay Rights Foundation’s We Rise LGBTQ Scholarship.

Ken Magri is a retired art history professor who writes about affordable housing, the unhoused, politics, wildfires, climate change, music, fine art, craft brewing, cannabis and local history. A Sacramento native, Ken grew up around Harley-Davidson motorcycles, hippie culture, arts and the Sierra Nevada. As a journalist, he likes to bring thoughtful attention to solvable problems, exploring what has worked. He especially enjoys bringing more attention to Northern California’s history, nature and cultural scene.

Angie Eng is an independent journalist and intermedia artist whose work bridges art, technology and social impact. She has received over 50 grants and fellowships. Her projects span socially-engaged art, conceptual art and experimental media of which have been showcased around the world. As a journalist, she brings critical insights into how creativity transforms communities. A native of Sacramento, she has also lived in Mexico, Ethiopia, France, Switzerland, Boulder, San Francisco and New York City. 

Jacob Peterson has lived in the Sacramento area for almost 25 years, having grown up in Orangevale after his family moved from Petaluma. A graduate of Sacramento State, Jacob worked as a news and visuals editor for The State Hornet, and has since moved on to write for various local publications. He has covered local politics, the arts and higher education. Outside of his professional work, he maintains a biweekly personal blog about horror films, “Horror Heaven.”

Dina Bugayevskaya is a freelance journalist and a reporter for Russian American Media. Dina works as a Russian-English interpreter for Rocklin School District and as a dance teacher at Silver Dance Studio in Roseville. She is writing two books. One about an island adventure with a group of teenagers; the other tells the life story of a journalist with a hobby of an artist. As a journalist, Dina likes to focus on features and international stories that have a local impact.

Amritpal Kaur Sandhu-Longoria is an award-winning investigative reporter whose work focuses on keeping people at the center of the story. Her work has been published with The Center for Public Integrity, USA TODAY, and more. She is a licensed nurse who is fluent in Hindi and Punjabi, and has held fellowships with the American Political Science Association in Washington, D.C., and Global Health Corps in Uganda.

Ozola Cody is a writer, who also loves to hike and find hidden gems in natural landscapes. She has spent over five years freelancing as a content creator and digital content writer for corporations. She crafts engaging narratives, and focuses on storytelling that uplifts underrepresented BIPOC voices. She often explores themes of race, gender, class and climate change. She has been published in Solving Sac, Sacramento Observer, CapRadio, Sacramento News & Review, The Knee Deep Times, New Times and Oz Collective Media.

Odin Rasco covers art and news in El Dorado, Butte and Sacramento counties. He particularly enjoys covering court cases, cute animals, plays and nonprofits. He has a passion for theatre, literature and other means of conveying narrative. In addition to his work as a journalist, he is an occasional standup comedian. He studied at Sacramento State.