Karen Goff is a longtime print journalist who won several Society of Professional Journalism Dateline Awards for her work at The Washington Times and the Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel.

During her career, she has covered everything from cops to sports to health, education and family topics. She is excited to be part of the emerging world of new media.

 I was born in Georgia, but moved to Alexandria, VA when I was 4. with my mom, dad, brother & 2 sisters.  Currently living in Ashburn, VA with my husband and dog, Shelby.   I am very family and friend-oriented, have a hidden love for Doris Day movies, and believe nothing is worth dwelling over if it is already done.

I graduated from Radford University in May 2006 with a degree in Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management, but decided Sales & Marketing was my true calling. My background is in advertising sales and I worked for WeddingWire/Martha Stewart Weddings Online but quickly jumped at the opportunity to work for Patch. I love that my job is to be out in the community because I get the opportunity meet new people everyday and really learn about my different regions and the people in them.

I am the "go to" girl for all business owners so please feel free to reach out to me at 703-888-7642 or barbara.ward@patch.com.

Maria Koklanaris Bonaquist is a writer with 25 years of professional experience.  A grad of Penn State,  and an alum of its student paper, The Daily Collegian,  Maria started her career on the East End of Long Island, writing for a summer publication in the Hamptons.  Soon after the summer ended,  she moved to Northern Virginia to interview in -- where else -- Reston..  with The Connection Newspapers.  Following the Connection, Maria was an editorial assistant at the Washington Post, and a reporter at the Washington Times.  She began freelancing in 1996 when her first child was an infant, and has done so ever since.  Maria lives in Oakton with her husband, a teenage son and daughter, and a spoiled beagle.   

Elizabeth Vandenburg has lived in Reston for 16 years, and her two children have gone through the public schools here. She is a former PTSA President at South Lakes High School who is a member of the AAUW Reston Herndon branch and the Friends of Reston Regional Library.  She usually can be found swimming in the pools and biking on the trails.

Leslie Perales graduated from Grand Valley State University with a bachelor's in journalism in Dec. 2007. A week later she moved to Northern Virginia and spent two and a half years at the Observer Newspaper in Herndon and Reston where she fell head over heels in love with community journalism.

While in college Leslie was an editor at the student newspaper, worked for GVSU's news and information department, interned at WOOD TV8 and worked at the occasional cell phone store or coffee shop.

Leslie lives in Reston Town Center with her fiance and reads voraciously in her spare time. When she's at her desk you'll find her listening to jazz guitar like Joe Pass but in the car she'll be rocking out to Muse, Metric or The Sounds. She adores autumn and all things hula hoop and hoopdance-related—in fact she's a certified Hoopnotica hoopdance instructor, and you'll sometimes see her hooping around the community.

Lauren is the local editor for Woodbridge Patch. Lauren was born and raised in Woodbridge. Her work has been featured on UPIU.com, MasonVotes.com and Connect2Mason.com. She is a member of the Online News Association and the Society for Professional Journalists. Lauren is a passionate journalist with a knack for social media, an obsession with Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers and a love for all things gustatory (mostly bacon). She received her Bachelor of Arts in Communication, focused in Journalism, Cum Laude from George Mason University in Fairfax, VA where she was named the GMU C2M MVP (also known as the acronym award).

Todd Smith was born in Gadsden, Alabama and moved to Herndon at the age of 8, and became an avid sport fan after attending his first Redskins game shortly thereafter. He has a BA in Communications: Media Production & Critique from George Mason University.

Michael Noone is a freelance photographer living in Sterling Virgina. Michael is a native of Boston, MA. He has lived in Northern Virginia for 10 years.

Michael is currently a finance professional at Ernst & Young, but his sights are set on becoming a a full time photographer.  He makes frequent contributions to Patch.com, while working on his portfolio and developing his talent.

Michael  recently launched a new website, nooneflower.com, where he shares his flower phtography and writes a blog telling stories of his daily life.

Michael is looking forward to launching a second website, noonephoto.com where he will offer services for family portraits and weddings and display his diverse and ever growing photography porfolio.

Max is a freelance photographer and writer. He is currently working toward an MFA in journalism.

Photographer

Elton Hayes joined Patch in December 2010. He covers boys and girls high school sports from wrestling and swimming to track and basketball. He enjoys attending games but has a passion for features. 

Hayes first began writing on college football, his favorite sport. His work has been featured on CNNSI, Fox Sports and Rivals. He has also been a featured guest on sports talk radio progams across the country.

Hayes resides in the District where he enjoys watching Florida Gator athletics and debating the legitimacy of the BCS. 

Jessica Wallach lives and works in Reston.  She lives with her husband, daughter and father.  She a professional photographer, runs Portrait Platyime.  When she's not working, she's either playing with kids, building community or reading a book.  

Phil Meyer is Professor Emeritus in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and was inducted into the North Carolina Hall of Fame in Journalism in the spring of 2008.  He joined the Journalism School in 1981 and served as Knight Chair in Journalism Professor from 1993-2008.  Prior to joining the school, he held a number of reporter and research positions at various media outlets. 

He has won numerous awards including the 2005 Sigma Delta Chi Distinguished Service Award for Research About Journalism (with Scott Maier). He was named a Fellow of Society of Professional Journalists in 2005. In 2004, the Newspaper Division of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication gave him its Professional Freedom and Responsibility Award. And in 2000 he received the American Association for Public Opinion Research Award for Exceptionally Distinguished Achievement.

Meyer is the author of several books including The Vanishing Newspaper:  Saving Journalism in the Information Age and Precision Journalism:  A Reporter’s Introduction to Social Science Methods.  Journalism Quarterly in 2000 listed this book as one of the 35 significant books of the 20th century in journalism and mass communication; and the American Association for Public Opinion Research, observing its 50th anniversary in 1996, listed it as one of 50 significant books on public opinion research.

He received his B.S. in technical journalism from Kansas State University and his M.A. in political science from the University of North Carolina.

Jeff Jarvis is the associate professor and director of the interactive journalism program at the City University of New York’s new Graduate School of Journalism.  He also blogs about media and news at Buzzmachine.com; is consulting editor of Daylife; writes a media column for the Guardian, and consults for media companies.

Prior to his current responsibilities, Jarvis held positions including president and creative director of Advance.net; creator and founding editor of Entertainment Weekly; Sunday editor and associated publisher of the New York Daily News; TV critic for TV Guide and People; a columnist for the San Francisco Examiner; assistant city editor and reporter for the Chicago Tribune and reporter for Chicago Today.

Jarvis is the author of What Would Google Do?

Steven Berlin Johnson is a pioneer in the web world, as a co-founder of FEED, Plastic.com, and Outside.in, which was acquired by Patch in March of 2011. He also co-created Findings.com, which launched in late 2011. Steven was the 2009 Hearst New Media Professional-in-Residence at The Journalism School at Columbia University, and served for several years as a Distinguished Writer in Residence at NYU’s Journalism School. He is a bestselling author of seven books, and won acclaim and a Newhouse School Mirror Award for his 2010 Time Magazine cover story, "How Twitter Will Change the Way We Live." 

Speaking of Steven's editorial prowess, check out this video based on Steven's book, Where Good Ideas Come From, which was named one of the best books of 2010 by The Economist.