corsair news STAFf
Spring 2021

Allie Leeds

-news editor-

Allie is thrilled to return for her second semester on The Corsair, now as the News Editor. After her fulfilling experience as Culture Editor last semester, she is excited to work with The Corsair until she transfers to pursue a Bachelor’s Degree in English. When she isn't writing an essay or an article, she can be found blasting Taylor Swift music in the car, reading a novel from Rory Gilmore's reading list, or binging the latest Netflix series.

Rebecca Hogan

-Arts & Entertainment editor-

Rebecca has previously served as a Staff Writer for The Corsair who also occasionally submits a photo. She is excited to be returning to The Corsair as The Arts and Entertainment Editor. When she is not writing for the Corsair, she invests her time as a Board Member with Make Music L.A. and the Just Jazz Concert Series. 

Taylor DiPrimo

-Sports EDITOR-

Morrea Ollila

-Assistant Social Media Editor-

Morrea is a second year college student and is thrilled to be writing for The Corsair for her last semester at SMC. In addition to being an SMC student, she is also a holistic health coach practitioner and runs a lifestyle and wellness blog in her free-time. She hopes to combine her passion for health and wellness with her love for writing and design to produce meaningful and educational articles for The Corsair in the Spring ‘21 semester. 

Sue Benistant

-staff Photographer-

Ashley Cox

-DIGITAL EDITOR-

For her first year at SMC, Ashley Cox is thrilled to be reporting and writing on The Corsair. When she’s not behind her computer screen, you can find her peering through her camera lens, or at the latest Gallery opening inside downtown LA’s Bendix Building.

Elan Donel

-staff Writer-

Michael Goldsmith

-Staff Writer/photographer-

Currently in a passionate love affair with the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the First Amendment. Representative democracy and a free press are the shiznit. 

Hon Hoang

-Staff PHOTOGRAPHER-

yasamin Jafari tehrani

-senior staff photographer-

My name is Yasamin. I am a staff photographer and this is my 4th semester at The Corsair. 

Jaime Leon

-staff PHOTOGRAPHER-

Jorge Martinez

-Staff Photographer-

Marco Pallotti

-STAFF Photographer-

Marco Pallotti was born in London, England, and moved to the United States in his mid-twenties. He now lives in Santa Monica, California, and works in a variety of photographic genres, using both analog and digital technologies. 

Jonathan Putman

-STAFF Photographer-

Willow Sando-McCall

-Staff Writer-

Hi! My names Willow and I’m a journalism major at SMC. I have a background writing for small publications with a focus in music, fashion, and art. I worked on the Corsair as a photographer before and am excited to be a writer this year!

Alex SERBOWICZ

-DIGITIAL EDITOR-

Paige Strickland

-STAFF Writer-

Paige Strickland has worked as journalist and photographer for the last
two years. She works with Marquee Marauders Club, attending concerts as press and editing photos. She also writes and manages a team of journalists for Mxdwn. In addition, she launched her own independent site, Airbag Magazine, which features local Los Angeles visual artists, musicians, and organizations alongside music, television, and film reviews.

Evelyn Tucker

-STAFF WRITER-

My name is Evelyn Tucker and this is my second semester at SMC. I love the cinema and am passionate about travelling. I look forward to engaging in impactful conversations and sharing stories that deserve to be told.

Niamh Moore

-Digital Editor-

I am a Santa Monica College student majoring in journalism. This is my first semester working as a staff writer and digital editor on The Corsair. I am passionate about art, especially painting. I am also big on ocean conservation and the protection of marine life. In my free time I enjoy writing, going scuba diving, and learning as much as I can about the world around me. 

Carolyn Burt

-editor-in-chief-

This marks Carolyn’s third semester on the Corsair, where she previously held the position of Managing Editor during the Fall 2020 term. Originally from the Bay Area, she now resides in Los Angeles, where she is getting her Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism from California State University, Northridge. Outside of her academics, Carolyn enjoys spending her free time exercising and crafting.

Marcos Mackey-Darden

-Culture editor-

Marcos Mackey-Darden is an LA native, This is Marcos’s second semester on the Corsair. They have a passion for Arts and Culture pieces, and Opinion as well. They plan on pursuing a future in fashion journalism and have explored those passions on and off the Corsair. They are very excited to see what this semester brings.

Maxim Elramsisy

-Photo Editor-

Maxim Elramsisy is a photojournalist from Los Angeles, California.  He graduated from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, where he studied Neuroscience and Music.  He enjoys snowboarding, gaming, and playing with his son, August.

Sam Plascencia

-Multimedia editor-

Maryann Chavez

-staff WRITER-

Maryann Chavez is a second year student at SMC who has a passion for writing and hopes to be able to express this passion in a positive way through this class and hopefully one day in the future. I aspire to transfer next semester to California State University Long Beach with a good idea in what direction I’d like to go in my Journalism career through this class. I’m excited to learn and see where this class takes me.

Jorge Devotto-Ordoñez

-STAFF Photographer-

I am originally from Chile, I graduated as Graphic Designer from Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Chile. I work as a cameraman in Hollywood and belong to the Union (Local 600) since late 2006. Currently pursuing a Master in Journalism and Digital Media (online) from Universitat Oberta de Catalunya, Spain.

Ruby Gomez

-staff writer-

Josh Hogan

-STAFF WRITER-

I am a returning Staff Writer for the Corsair. My interest and focus are on entertainment, specifically studio news, Marvel, Disney and Universal. 

Pietro Kron

-STAFF WRITER-

Aibhle Lynch

-Staff WRITER-

Hi! My name is Aibhle, and this is my first semester being a part of the Corsair. I enjoy reading, writing, and the Corsair is the perfect bridge for me to strengthen those skills.

Brooke Matteson

-Staff Writer-

Brooke is a first-year student at Santa Monica College as a journalism major. She is thrilled for her first class at the Corsair and cannot wait to dive into the world of journalism. When she is not reading or writing, she likes to spend time with her family and likes to go on long drives and listen to music and watch the sunset.

Guadalupe Perez

-Staff Writer-

Guadalupe is a journalism major at SMC this will be her second semester working as a staff writer for The Corsair. Besides writing she enjoys reading, watching Disney movies, and listening to music from her favorite artist Harry Styles in her free time.

Naomi Ruiz

-Staff Writer-

Hi! My name is Naomi Ruiz and I am a Staff Writer for The Corsair. This is my first time writing for a student publication and I hope to improve my skills as a writer. I will also be getting Associate Degrees for Transfer in Theatre Arts and Journalism this Spring 2021.

Erich Schroeder

-STAFF Writer-

Ayanna Smith

-STAFF WRITER-

Hi I’m Ayanna Smith and this is my first semester with the Corsair. I am planning to transfer this semester to a 4 year university for journalism. I am excited to gain experience with a newspaper before I start my career.

Kevin Tidmore

-STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER-

Freelance Photographer, I like to photograph Street, News, product, sports, fashion and natural portraits things in available light. I’ve taught photography to junior high students for Building Up LA. I’ve also had the pleasure of having my photographs in several African American History Month Calendars for the city of Los Angeles.

Brad Wilhite

-STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER-

Aja Marshall

-Managing Editor-

Aja is an aspiring multimedia journalist and comes from an Entertainment background having worked with companies such as Nickelodeon, Mandeville Films, and Participant. With a passion for storytelling, she’s thrilled to join The Corsair and contribute on the topics of entertainment, arts, and culture. When she’s not working, you can find her experimenting in the kitchen, surfing, traveling, spending time with her family and friends, and watching everything (movies, TV, Youtube...you name it).

Sarah Nachimson

-Opinion editor-

Sarah Nachimson is a freshman at Santa Monica College. They are a liberal arts major and love journalism. In their free time, they write poetry, make movies, and doodle.

Johnny Neville

-social media editor-

This is Johnny’s second semester on The Corsair as Social Media Editor. After attending SMC last semester, he is now studying Communication at USC.

DREW Anderson

-staff writer/Photographer-

Drew Andersen grew up in the creative cultures of Greenwich Village, Berkeley, San Francisco’s North Beach, Haight-Ashbury and Marin. He created Bay Window™, an entertainment publication, while earning a Master’s Degree in San Francisco. He did field archaeology in Sinaloa, Mexico. Traveled extensively in Japan and People’s Republic of China. Drew served as an advertising executive in the healthcare industry and lives in Santa Monica. His passion for producing pictures and stories is a good fit working with the Corsair’s multimedia platform and L.A.s diverse cultures.

Citlalli Chávez-Nava

-STAFF WRITER-

Citlalli is an aspiring writer who developed her love for newspapers and magazines at a very young age thanks to her father. She is passionate about lifting the voices and stories of those living, working, and creating in neighborhoods and spaces that are often overlooked. When she's not reading the news or writing, you can find her hanging in nature with her toddler.

Aminata Diop

-STAFF Writer-

Stephanie Gallinar

-STAFF Writer-

Stephanie Gallinar is a first generation college student majoring in criminal justice, raised in South Central Los Angeles. Her passion for journalism derives from my love for true crime and crime news. 

Joanna Gonzalez

-Staff Photographer-

Michael Johnson

-Staff Writer-

Aspiring journalist from Southern California. Hoping to change lives one day.

Apollo Kuranage

-STAFF Writer-

Vincent Marcel

-DIGITAL EDITOR-

Hello everyone! I'm a photography/journalism major at SMC who's born and raised in SoCal. Stories about education, art, and the LGBT+ Community always catch my eye.

Neil O'Loughlin

-Staff PHOTOGRAPHER-

Hello, I'm Neil And this is my first year at SMC. I’m interested in covering most topics and I am excited to learn.

William Phelps

-STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER-

Vasily Samoylov

-Staff photographer-

Yuka Seike

-Staff Writer-

Hi! I am Yuka from Tokyo, Japan, and this is my first time to be a part of the Corsair team. I worked as a writer for several Japanese web magazines and am currently studying graphic design and marketing. It is my dream to be a wonderful writer like Carrie Bradshaw in Sex and the City.

Morgan Spillman

-STAFF Writer-

Morgan Spillman was born in Santa Monica and resides in Tarzana, California. This is her first semester working with the Corsair. She is drawn to Opinion pieces, Politics, Environmental issues, Equality, Mental Health issues, etc. Her passions are creative writing, poetry, and photography. She is currently working on a poetry Anthology entitled: More Than Glass which is to be published by the end of the year and is looking forward to graduating with a Journalism Associate's Degree this Fall 2021.

Deven Townsel

-Staff WRITER-

Hello my name is Deven, I am a journalism major, and writer. I have always enjoyed writing, and figured Journalism would be the perfect fit for me. When I’m not writing I’m either reading a book, or streaming movies and TV Shows. I love learning about different sides of media platforms, and seeing how they all blend together.

SONIA HIEW

-STAFF Writer-