EDITORS

Laura Braden is Vice President at Mercury Public Affairs and publicist for the Sacramento Philharmonic.  Since moving  to California, I’ve traded being a “southern belle” for a “NorCal hippie” by going vegan (lasted 3 weeks), studying bikram yoga (lasted 2 weeks), and riding my beach cruiser everywhere (4 years and counting).

Hometown: Knoxville, TN
Sacramento guilty pleasure: Dive bars = people watching and $3 cocktails.  It’s what we call a twofer.
If Mayor Johnson ever asked: Outlaw bars and clubs who charge a cover on weeknights. We are not LA or NYC.
Dream job: Communications director for the Travel Channel, Oprah or non-profit that focuses on refugees, human trafficking or women’s rights.
In a past life I was probably:  Edith Piaf or Janis Joplin
In the next life I want to be:  Oprah

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Julie Soderlund is a Partner at Wilson-Miller Communications.  I’m a free spirit, trapped in a Type A personality.  For example, the whole concept of a yoga mat COVER seemed completely ridiculous and up for debate at happy hours and brunches for weeks.  Now I own 2, plus a $100 yoga mat.  So, in a nutshell, I’m anal retentive and impulsive.  Yeah, it’s confusing – just ask my husband.
Hometown: Santa Barbara, CA
Sacramento guilty pleasure: I don’t know what this means and I won’t dignify it with a response.  Please see above – Hometown: Santa Barbara.
If Mayor Johnson ever asked: We’re the state capitol – what is up with K Street?
Dream job: Owning a coffee shop in Spain and living above it.  My daily routine?  Speaking Spanish and talking politics with people from all walks of life.
In the next life I want to be:  My mom’s favorite.

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Becky Warren is a Vice President at Mercury Public Affairs.  I am a professed California-centric person who has lived all over the state from Monterey to Santa Barbara to San Diego. Since moving back to Sacramento, I have become a Land Park junkie and live there with my neurotic yet lovable dog Lucy.

Hometown: San Diego…though I really grew up in Sacramento.
Sacramento guilty pleasure: A glass of wine on a summer evening at one of my favorite restaurants’ patios.
If Mayor Johnson ever asked: Bring the San Diego Chargers to SacTown!! … Or just draft more eligible bachelors.
Dream job: Be my own boss.  From Kauai.
In a past life I was probably: A professional athlete (I love sports and competition but lack talent)
In the next life I want to be: A free-spirited artist.  My heart is currently in the right place but follow-through (and ability) has always been problematic.

WRITERS/CONTRIBUTORS

Mary Beth Barber is Communications Director for the California Arts Council.  I’m an adventure girl who typically needs a major project to sink my teeth into – most of the time an acting gig in the local theatre and indie film scene. But regular paychecks and health coverage is nice too… so I work full time for the state’s arts council in communications.
Hometown:  Sacramento, with a side of New York
Sacramento guilty pleasure:  Multiple viewings at the Crest Theater for the Sac Film and Music Festival, French Film Festival. And an occasional soccer game to get out my aggression or yoga session to squelch it.
If Mayor Johnson ever asked:  What’s the deal with expanding the city into a flood basin?
Dream job:  Lead on fabulous television show (with writing/directing possibilities) and an occasional movie or Broadway opportunity … OR full-time journalist with high salary and fabulous benefits package
In a past life I was probably:  Anton Chekhov
In the next life I want to be:  A spoiled bookstore cat

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Devon Carey Berrier is an avid reader, baker, cookbook collector, self-proclaimed gym rat, and shopaholic.

Hometown:  Sacramento, CA
Sacramento guilty pleasure:  The River Park 4th of July Parade. I had to miss my first this year in 25 years of life and was terribly upset. I love the decorated trucks and cars—its so old fashioned and fun.
If Mayor Johnson ever asked:  When will I be able to party in the Railway Yard? As in party in an actual establishment, not out in the open with all the debris?
Dream job:  Celebrity chef and TV cooking show host, or the person who manages the clothing and accessory closet for Vogue magazine.
In a past life I was probably:  Betty Draper, the angry housewife (without the smoking and drinking while preggers) or Dolley Madison, that girl could throw a party!
In the next life I want to be:  I want to be a cast member on Gossip Girl–the clothes, the shoes, the attitudes = awesome.

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Molly DeFrank is deputy press secretary for Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner. I recently took on a second full-time job: motherhood. In my spare time, I watch piles of laundry take over my home. My other  interests include cooking, reading and finding new ways to attach hair accessories to my baby girl’s bald-ish head.

Hometown:  Simi Valley, CA
Sacramento guilty pleasure:  Hunting for awesome parking spaces downtown. I love the thrill of the chase and the sweet victory of an efficient parallel parking job directly in front of Chipotle on Capitol at 12:30 on a Wednesday.
If Mayor Johnson ever asked:  How about we put a little hustle in our riverfront-development bustle?
Dream job:  Author of children’s books, mom to four kids, wife to my husband, financial manager of my own lottery winnings.
In a past life I was probably:  Some kind of lazy animal that enjoyed sleeping and sunbathing all day. (Or maybe a perpetual teenager?)
In the next life I want to be:  in Heaven

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Chantel Elder is a partner at Eleakis & Elder Photography (Land Park) with a background in photography & marketing.  Aside from loving all thingsphotography, I also am a self proclaimed “dog lady.”  I love cheese of any kind (accompanied by wine), gardening (even though my fiance says my thumb is black), and I will try just about anything once.  I have a very serious distaste for Barry Manilow (how did he get famous anyway?!) and in my spare time I can be found blogging all of my photographic discoveries.  If you would like to follow my own weekly rants and raves, my blog can be found at http://chantizula.blogspot.com.

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Rachel Michelin is Executive Director and CEO of California Women Lead.  I’m a So Cal transplant who has grown to love the Sacramento area (even though I’m not near a beach).  Politics got me to move here, but family keeps me here (we are all political junkies too – my five year old is already a campaign veteran!).  Most Saturdays you can find me on the sidelines of my daughter’s soccer game (I’ve been known to bribe my daughter to score a goal) or chasing my 18 month old as she starts to discover the world.
Hometown:  Orange, California
Sacramento guilty pleasure:  Cookies on H Street – Cookies cheeseburger, fries and a milkshake – it just can’t be beat!
If Mayor Johnson ever asked:  What about K Street – so many possibilities, so little action.  Hire me and I will get things done!
Dream job:  Owning a winery – where else can you get paid to drink all day!
In a past life I was probably:  A suffragette – I think it is so important that women have a voice and a vote in their government.
In the next life I want to be:  My cat – all she does all day is lounge around in bed, takes a walk here and there and gets LOTS of love!

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Amelia Neufeld is a media relations and public affairs consultant.  I realize I have hit the jackpot of being able to work from home. Goals in life include spending quality time with my parents, boyfriend and friends, figuring out how to be smart(er) with money and generally just trying to be an all-around good person while making a positive impact in my little corner of the world.
Hometown: Sacramento
Sacramento guilty pleasure: I love triple-digit heat! (with our famous Delta Breeze, of course).
If Mayor Johnson ever asked: Keep up the good work! Thanks for working hard for Sacramento.
Dream job: To be a full-time mom and run a “Mommy and Me” jogging club. Or own a Wine Country bed & breakfast. Or head up a nonprofit that helps kids in foster care. Or somehow manage to do all of the above at the same time.
In a past life I was probably: An ex-pat writer living in Paris during the 1920s, hanging out and drinking wine with Hemingway and Gertrude Stein. “If you are lucky enough to have lived in Paris as a young man…”
In the next life I want to be: Martha Stewart (minus the jail time).

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Lisa Page is a Vice President at Edelman. I’m a small-town, Northwest girl at heart, who left the rain boots and redwoods behind for the big city.  Despite being in the capital city for seven years and counting, I must confess that I still know the words to every Garth Brooks song.
Hometown:  Fortuna, CA (Never heard of it? You’re not the only one – it’s in Humboldt County.)
Sacramento guilty pleasure:  Any and all happy hours…when I can get off work in time to make one. Who doesn’t love a $3 glass of wine paired with a $3 appetizer?
If Mayor Johnson ever asked:  Give me a reason to go to Old Sac. Let’s develop the waterfront like they have in San Antonio and Portland.
Dream job:  Own a winery – and in addition to using my PR savvy to promote it, I’d taste wine and cheese with fellow wine-os all day long.
In a past life I was probably:  Julia Child
In the next life I want to be:  A chef. If only I hadn’t waited until my 20s to enter a kitchen and start cooking.

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Ashley Robinson is Director at Mercury Public Affairs.  I’m your typical Sagittarius – always looking for the next adventure. I love to tell stories, paint, study history, debate politics, watch television shows about ghosts, and go wine tasting around the state.
Hometown:  Visalia, California, just a boring three-hour drive south of Sacramento.
Sacramento guilty pleasure: Drinking French pressed coffee at Le Petite Paris on a pink spring morning, soaking in the last hours of a summer night on the Mulvaney’s Building & Loan patio, kicking through leaves while watching a luscious sunset in Midtown and digging through used books at Time Tested on a cold Saturday afternoon.
If Mayor Johnson ever asked:  Asked what?  Maybe he shouldn’t be asking me questions and should start getting the homeless guys out of my alleyway dumpster.
Dream job: A travel show host, like Rick Steves and Bridget Marqhardt.  And then when I get tired of that, I will open a taco shop in Santorini.
In a past life I was probably: Catherine the Great of Russia
In the next life I want to be: An urban park duck.  They fly, they swim, no one is allowed to shoot them and people give them food.  I’m down.

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Jamie Romas is the Capital Campaign Manager for the B Street Theatre.  A native of Chicago, I have lived in Berkeley, Atlanta, Spain, and Washington D.C., but finally settled down in the unlikeliest of places – Sacramento.  I live in midtown with my Queensland Heeler mix, Mister Wilson.
Hometown:  Chicago, IL (And yet, I have zero tolerance for cold weather…I blame it on the Mediterranean heritage.)
Sacramento guilty pleasure: The abundance of tattoo parlors. I love the fact that you can get a tattoo at 3 a.m. on a weeknight in Sacramento, but probably not a piece of pizza.
If Mayor Johnson ever asked: Can we get more non-stop flights to the east coast? I’m tired of connecting in Denver, Las Vegas, and Minneapolis – on the same trip.
Dream job:  A pastry chef. It brings together my two passions: sugar and creativity.
In a past life I was probably: The secret love child of Julia Child and Charlie Chaplin.
In the next life I want to be: One of Brad and Angelina’s babies.

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Caroline Silveira is a government relations professional, currently for food, beverage, and consumer packaged goods manufacturers.  I love the simple pleasures in life, but manage to make my quest for finding them all complicated through a series of trials, research, analysis, ranking, re-trying, etc!  Simple pleasures I love most are luxuriating in beauty and wellness products and enjoying all kinds of food and drink.  If you ask me, I will probably have tried it, analyzed it, ranked it and am always happy to spread my knowledge from my neurotic quests to enjoy all the simple pleasures life has to offer and continue always looking for better ones!
Hometown:  Tulare, CA — that’s right, I’m a farm girl.
Sacramento guilty pleasure:  I love the Nugget on “Carnival Days” where there are samples everywhere and specials on every aisle.
If Mayor Johnson ever asked:  West Sac should be your BFF – that’s your solution to the riverfront and improving Sacramento.
Dream job:  I’m living it every day – I love politics and advocating my opinion and I’m doing both.
In a past life I was probably:  A grumpy old man, like the ones on The Muppets in the balcony.
In the next life I want to be:  As long as I’m not a winemaker specializing in Zinfandel – I’ll be good. (I love wine but have serious issues with Zinfandel).

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Robin Swanson is a political consultant who runs Swanson Communications. Genetically engineered and programmed from birth to wake up at o-dark-hundred, I strive to stay out with the night owls past 10pm, but could very possibly be that girl you caught sleeping in the theater or nodding off at a late-night roast. Have unhealthy addictions to Altoids, NPR and lipgloss.
Hometown:   Wichita Falls, TX (Seriously folks, I had no choice in the matter!)
Sacramento guilty pleasure:   Spa La Le at Le Rivage – they have chocolate chip cookies in the “meditation room,” which always help me find inner peace.
If Mayor Johnson ever asked:   Levees, please. Good ones that hold water and stuff. My hand-held crank radio from KQED and floatie lounger is only going to get me so far down the I-5.
Dream job:   Winery owner/international chocolate taste-tester.
In a past life I was probably:   Cleopatra – the girl knew how to work eyeliner way before the eighties made it cool and the MAC counter revived it.
In the next life I want to be:   A Wheel of Fortune contestant. I’d totally win the $100K jackpot. Seriously, I would.

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Amy Thoma is a political and communications consultant.  I’m from Chico by way of Los Angeles which means I bike and walk everywhere, but in heels. When not at work, I can usually be found running on the streets and trails of Sacramento and rewarding myself with wine or Big Spoon but preferably both.
Hometown:  Chico, CA
Sacramento guilty pleasure:  Cookies from the Freeport Bakery.
If Mayor Johnson ever asked:  Increase the funding for public parks—a McKinley Park on every block!
Dream job: Communications and Public Affairs Director for Nike.
In a past life I was probably:  A Labrador retriever—high energy but generally well behaved.
In the next life I want to be:  A music video choreographer and director.