Proudly sponsored by
Michelle Rogers
Michelle Rogers, consumer experience director at the Ventura County Star, has helped facilitate new ways we bring you stories. From the local history podcast "Never 30" to the popular Ventura Storytellers Project to the VCS Eats newsletter sent directly to subscriber inboxes and our use of Facebook Messenger to share news, the Ventura, California, resident looks at trends in digital media to bring you local news in formats and on platforms you prefer. The Eastern Michigan University graduate has a long history in news, working as an award-winning reporter and editor. She was an original member of Digital First Media's ideaLab, where she was given the resources and time to experiment and innovate with digital storytelling tools for three years. She was the founder of the Southeast Michigan Media Lab and 530 Media Project in Northern California, training the public in social media and digital media tools, and her work has been written about in national industry magazines. Find her on Twitter @mrogers_VCS, instagram @editormichellerogers and Facebook @michelle.rogers.vcs.
Anthony Plascencia
Anthony Plascencia is a multimedia producer and photojournalist for the Ventura County Star. Being one of the creators and co-producers of the Star’s “Never 30” history podcast, he loves hearing and sharing unique stories of interesting people and places. As a native of Ventura County, he is often out in the community covering local news and attending community events. He lives in Oxnard with his wife, children and an extended family of pets.
Arlene Martinez
Arlene Martinez is part of the Ventura County Star's watchdog team, covering government and tracking spending. She has spent time in various news organizations across the country, writing about politics, education, the environment, sports and music. She spends a lot of time exploring the outdoors with her two creative, energetic toddlers and artist husband.
Cheri Carlson
Cheri Carlson is a member of the Ventura County Star's watchdog team, covering the environment and data-driven stories. Before coming to Ventura County in 2005, she covered education and the environment in California's Central Valley. Growing up in Canada, she kayaked in the summers and learned to ski in the winter. Now she calls Southern California home and loves to spend time on local trails.
DeAnn Justesen
Deann Justesen has spent the majority of her career as an editor and coach in Ventura County, and has been with the Ventura County Star since it was formed in 1995. She started her career in sports, first as a reporter and later an editor, and then transitioned to news. She has worked as a copy editor and assignment editor covering areas such as business, education, and county, city and state government. She currently leads a team of seven reporters whose beats cover business, education, health, government, and restaurants and food. DeAnn enjoys hiking, reading, going to the beach and watching sports. She is a fan of NASCAR, the New York Yankees, Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Dolphins and Dallas Cowboys, and USC football.
Andrea Howry
Andrea Howry is the communities content editor of the Ventura County Star and host of The Star's podcast, "Never 30." A graduate of Stanford University, she first came to Ventura as a college intern in 1980, then went to Gannett newspapers in Reno, Nevada, and Salem, Oregon, before moving back to Ventura permanently in 1992. She and her husband have three grown children and two rescue dogs.
Wendy Leung
Wendy Leung is a local government reporter for the Ventura County Star who has worked in newsrooms in the Inland Empire, Los Angeles and Taipei. She was a storyteller for the Star's first event in Ventura and now enjoys meeting and introducing other storytellers as co-emcee. She lives in Oak Park with two cats and a husband who occasionally argues with her over the merits of cheese in a can. Follow her on Twitter @Leung__Wendy and on Facebook @WendyLeungVCstar.
See what happens
Tomorrow night, 4 remarkable women will share their stories of resiliency and we’re delighted to be a part of it. Tickets at the link in bio! 💕🎙
Storytelling can always bring us together, even through the storm. #Repost @thenewspress ・・・ @thestorytellersproject going on in Cape Coral, FL. This evening’s topic....living through a Hurricane. How fitting. What an enjoyable night. #storytellers #southwestfloridastorytellers #florida @naplesnews @thenewspress
🗣The Storytellers Project founder @meganfinnerty shines today in @thelilynews’s Instagram story “I’ll Drink to That”! Head over and check it out!
What a wonderful night of storytelling with @nlgja and @desertsun! Thank you for the insight, thank you for the language, thank you for the stories.
Packed houses in Indianapolis and Phoenix tonight show that the storytelling community is supportive and growing! 💕🎙@indystar @azcentral
We have shows in both Phoenix and Tucson tonight and they are SOLD OUT! What?! Amazing. We’re really feeling the love in our home state, so thank you so much for your continued support of storytelling! 🙏 #azstorytellers #tucsonstorytellers @arizonadailystar @azcentral
👀 Look who made @phxmagazine’s #40under40! Congrats @meganfinnerty on this recognition of your hard work and dedication to truth through storytelling. We truly admire your vision, leadership and exceptional panache 👌🍾🎉
🗣Happy to welcome new intern Caitlin to our small but mighty Storytellers Project national team! 👏👏👏 #Repost @meganfinnerty ・・・ So proud to welcome our first @thestorytellersproject intern - @cait_hartman!
