Jamie manages the newsroom and drives our editorial strategy. In 2021, she joined us from her home state of South Carolina, where she led the politics and state government team at The State newspaper in Columbia. Before that, she was an investigative and political reporter, covering First-in-the-South presidential primaries and state elections, and producing award-winning enterprise and investigative reporting on many state issues, including public corruption, child welfare, education, abortion, gun rights and more. She also covered the massacre of African American churchgoers at Mother Emanuel AME in Charleston and the subsequent battle to remove the Confederate flag from the statehouse grounds. She has a master’s in literature and taught university-level writing and research before turning to journalism. If not working, Jamie is spending time with family, studying Spanish, reading or cooking something new.

Jennifer joined us in November 2019 and serves as inewsource’s assistant editor. Before that, she was an investigative reporter focusing on government accountability issues in southern San Diego and Imperial counties. Jennifer covered local government at daily newspapers in Michigan and North Carolina for nearly a decade before moving back home to San Diego. A proud product of community college and a San Diego State University graduate, she lives in Chula Vista with her family, too many houseplants and a black pug named Pablo.

Steve Breen was born in Los Angeles, raised in Orange County and graduated from the University of California at Riverside with a degree in political science. Steve got his start in newspapers at the Asbury Park Press in New Jersey in 1994. He was offered the editorial cartoonist position at The San Diego Union-Tribune in 2001 where he drew for 22 years. Steve is a two-time winner of the Pulitzer Prize (1998, 2009) and has won several broadcasting Emmys for his video work. He has written and illustrated several children’s books including Stick and Violet the Pilot and Sky and Ty. Steve lives in San Diego County with his family and enjoys tacos, running along the coast, playing the guitar and reading.

Andrea joined inewsource as an education reporter in June 2022. She’s also a Report for America corps member, a national service program that tasks journalists to report on undercovered communities and issues. Prior to joining us, she was the equity/underserved communities reporter at The Modesto Bee, where she shed light on underreported issues in Stanislaus County. Andrea is a Fresno native and graduate of San Jose State University. Outside of work, Andrea enjoys dancing, attending sporting events, gardening and cuddling with her senior dog, Andy.

Cody joined us in September 2019 as an investigative reporter who covers social impact and government accountability. Prior to inewsource, he worked on investigative teams with newspapers in the American South. Cody is a proud Floridian who received his bachelor’s degree in journalism and media studies in 2013 from the University of South Florida, where he also studied criminology. He can be spotted taking his pup, Vincent van Dog, to the mountains or the beach, sometimes both in one day.

Greg joined us in January 2024 and covers elections, extremism, legal affairs and the housing crisis. He worked at The San Diego Union-Tribune from 1991 until July 2023, where he specialized in courts and legal affairs reporting as a beat reporter, Watchdog team reporter and Enterprise news writer. Before that he worked at newspapers in Minnesota and New York. He spends his time swimming, hiking, reading, and playing guitar poorly.

Sofía joined us in August 2021 and covers the San Diego-Tijuana region and the people who live, work and pass through the area. Her reporting experience has come full circle: She grew up in San Diego working for a local news-weekly and now reports on the border for her hometown. Sofía is a UC Santa Barbara graduate, member of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists and proud Obecian. Outside of work you’ll usually find her at the beach, in the kitchen or searching for live music in the area.

Zoë joined us in 2019 as a photo and video journalist. Previously she worked at The Desert Sun in the Coachella Valley and independently. She grew up in New York but has lived in California since studying history and English at Pomona College. When not behind the camera Zoë enjoys spending time outside running, surfing and enjoying the Southern California sunshine.

Crystal joined us in June 2022 to cover infrastructure and government accountability in San Diego. Her position is partly funded by Report for America, a national program that supports local journalists. Crystal is passionate about accountability reporting because she knows good journalism can be a catalyst for change that can improve the lives of the public. After living in Primo Tapia, Mexico, Crystal mostly grew up in South Los Angeles before moving to Long Beach to study journalism and sociology at California State University, Long Beach. Outside of work, Crystal has too many hobbies to list on this bio.

Philip Salata joined us in September 2023 as an investigative reporter and multimedia journalist focused on the environment and energy in San Diego and Imperial counties. His position is supported by the California Local News Fellowship, a new statewide initiative spearheaded by UC Berkeley aimed at supporting local news platforms. During his graduate work at USC Annenberg and his time at San Diego City College’s journalism program, Philip developed stories about the social and environmental impacts of the push toward the green economy and also wrote about U.S. asylum policy, education and other social/cultural issues in the border region. Philip is also a photographer.