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East County Magazine is a nonprofit, nonpartisan community magazine.  Our mission is to provide in-depth news, views and events for all areas east of I-15 in San Diego County, reflecting the broad diversity of people and issues in our region.

Our award winning team of journalists, feature writers, columnists and staffers includes:

Miriam Raftery, Editor:  A 25-year journalist and editor, Miriam has received the American Society of Journalists & Authors’ national Arlene Award for community journalism as well as top San Diego Press Club honors including best of show, best investigative journalism, and best series for “Changing Face of East County.”  A graduate of the University of California, Santa Barbara, her works have appeared in national publications, newspapers and online news sites.  Her eclectic editing experience ranges from a national nutrition journal to a literary magazine. An East County native, she looks forward to exploring our region’s back country roads and byways, leaving no stone unturned in the quest for news and feature stories.

Jamie Reno, Consulting Editor and Columnist: Jamie Reno is the longtime San Diego correspondent for Newsweek, He has covered the 9/11 investigation, the war in Iraq, the last five presidential campaigns, the California wildfires, and hundreds of other major news stories. Jamie has also written for such publications as the New York Times, Rolling Stone, Sports Illustrated, Men’s Journal, TV Guide, People, Entertainment Weekly, Premiere, Inside Sports, Los Angeles Times Syndicate, Los Angeles Times Magazine, Chicago Tribune, San Diego Union-Tribune, San Diego Magazine and USA Today. Jamie has won more than 70 Society of Professional Journalist and Press Club awards, including the prestigious Best of Show award four times.

In his “other life,” Jamie is an acclaimed singer-songwriter-guitarist with a national record deal who recently released “Survivors’ Songs,” a lymphoma cancer awareness and all-star music project that features a dozen music legends including Peter Frampton, Charlie Daniels, the Beach Boys Family, and members of the Eagles, Chicago, the Allman Brothers and Steely Dan playing with Jamie on his songs.   A 12-year survivor of stage IV, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma cancer, Jamie has become a well-known national advocate for cancer patients and their families.  In 2008, Jamie released “Hope begins in the Dark: 50 Lymphoma Survivors Tell Their Exclusive Life Stories,” including celebrities who've never spoken publicly about their cancer.  (See www.hopebeginsinthedark.com.)  

Born and raised in Des Moines, Iowa, Jamie now lives in San Diego with his wife, Gabriela and their daughter, Mandy. He loves reading classics, watching movies, playing his acoustic guitar and hanging out in or near the ocean. A multi-sport athlete, he enjoys surfing, tennis, basketball, soccer and baseball.

Billie Jo Jannen, author of our “East of the Line” column covering backcountry land use issues and politics, has 21 years of experience as a journalist and editor in East County. Jannen has served variously as editor of The Alpine Sun, managing editor of East County Community Newspapers, editor of the Wallowa County Chieftain, beat reporter for The Alpine Sun, crime reporter for The Daily Californian and freelance features writer in several other publications. She has received three first place public service awards from California Newspaper Publisher’s Association, one for investigation of massive trans-border student attendance in Mountain Empire Unified School District and another for her series on Operation Gatekeeper impacts in the backcountry. Her earliest award was for an investigative series on hazardous waste dumped in Campo by San Diego County staff. Her work has been recognized by San Diego County, State of California, San Diego Press Club and the Sierra Club.

Gayle Early is a freelance writer who lives in La Mesa, California. She has previously served as a senior technical and grant-writer with UCSD and an editor for Academic Press/Harcourt Brace.

E.A. Barrera, Reporter:  E. A. Barrera has been writing on politics, land use, arts and culture in San Diego since 1997. He has won six San Diego Press Club awards for Journalism in the last three years. He is a life-long resident of San Diego County. He is currently waiting for the Baltimore Orioles to break out of their 11-season slump and regain their former glory.

Sara McInerny, Reporter: Currently Journal Manager at Elsevier, a leading science and health publisher, Sara, who holds a B.A. degree in English literature from the University of California, Santa Cruz,  has previously served as Editor of the East County Californian, Rancho Santa Fe monthly, and The Beach and Bay Press.  

Jackie Hanson:   Jackie, who pens our Artist profiles, is a talented East County artist and former English teacher who also directs Heartland’s Project Renaissance, helping children create public art for their schools.  She paints portraits and landscapes in both oils and acrylics, and recently had a show in Coronado as artist-for-the-month for August 2008 at Earth, Wind and Sea Home Decor and Gallery.  Jackie is eager to take on some writing tasks again to help give our local artists more exposure.  

Judith L. Seid:  Our “Good Money” columnist is president and founder of Blue Summit Financial Group, Inc.  A certified financial planner, she has actively used Socially Responsible Investing (SRI) for her clients since 1992.  She firmly believes that “We can influence corporations to change their policies by avoiding investments in irresponsible companies and by seeking investments in companies with positive practices and products.”

Zakiya Kabir, Web Designer:  Owner of Zoochia Designs, our web wizard is also webmaster of an educational consulting business who has designed for other community organizations as well as the Chicano Studies Department at City College.  She holds a bachelor’s degree in art education as well as certifications in print and web design.  In her spare time, Zakiya has also organized community events on healthcare issues, the Iraq War, and more. 

Leon Thompson, Project Destination Director:  East County Magazine is a project under the Project Destination program at Heartland Coalition.  Director Leon Thompson has 25 years of community organizing skills and leadership in numerous campaigns.  A Chippewa Indian tribal member originally from Minnesota, Leon has also established and grown several successful businesses in California and other locations.

East County Magazine is published by the Heartland Foundation and supported by grant funding from Foundation for Change as well as by private donations and sponsorships. Heartland Foundation is a DBA of Heartland Coalition, a nonprofit organization.