Staff Bios
Heather Raftery
Copy Editors
Rachael Lieberman
Brittany Pollock
Lindsay Sparks
Reporters
Sharon Bahr
Andi Berlin
Sarah Briggs
Mackenna Guest
Rachael Lieberman
Michael McKisson
Brittany Pollock
Mike Ritter
Jenna Rogers
Lindsay Sparks
Website Design
Rob Wisner,
Arizona Daily Star
Michael McKisson
Under the direction of:
Professor Jay M. Rochlin
*Click each reporter's name to read their bios
Sharon Bahr is a senior studying journalism, media arts and creative writing. She will be graduating from the University of Arizona in December 2008. Sharon has many interests including film editing, documentary production and freelance writing. To read her blog go to: Border Food
Andi Berlin is a senior at the University of Arizona, majoring in journalism with triple minors in art history, political science and English. She will be graduating in December 2008 and hopes to write about the arts for a magazine or newspaper. Andi is a desert dweller from Phoenix, Ariz. and spends her free time traveling to amusement parks and hidden art galleries. To read her blog go to: Touch de Color
Sarah Briggs is a senior majoring in journalism with a minor in English. She will graduate from the University of Arizona in December 2008 and is currently interning at the Tucson Citizen. Sarah’s past internships include working with the non-profit Aurora Foundation. She would like to work in print or online journalism after graduation and plans to attend graduate school to earn a Master of Business Administration. Sarah is from the U.S. Virgin Islands and grew up on a sail boat. To read her blog go to: Border Cluster
Huntington Beach. To read her blog go to: Mackenna's Blog
Rachael Lieberman is a senior at the University of Arizona, majoring in journalism with a minor in business administration. She plans to graduate in May 2008. She is interested in pursuing a career in law, and currently works for a criminal defense firm in Tucson. Although she loves the comfort of her hometown Charlotte, North Carolina, Rachael plans to begin her career in the Southwest. To read her blog go to: The Border and the Justice System
Michael McKisson a senior at the University of Arizona, graduating in May with a degree in journalism. After graduation, he hopes to work for online news publications. Michael has been married for over five years and spends his free time with his wonderful wife, two dogs and two cats. He enjoys photography, videography and web design. To read his blog go to: Border Business Beat
Brittany Pollock an Aspen, CO native, is a senior majoring in journalism at the University of Arizona. While journalism is an interest, she is also minoring in health, which will be her focus after graduation in May 2008. After which, Brittany plans to go to Nursing School in Denver and become a registered nurse. She is excited to explore healthcare on and around the border and share information with Borderbeat! To read her blog go to: Brittany's Blog
Heather Raftery is a senior at the University of Arizona, majoring in journalism and anthropology with a minor in Spanish. After her December 2008 graduation, she will be taking a year off to compete for a national championship in an equestrian event called "cutting" before going to graduate school. Heather loves traveling and would like to one day work for National Geographic. Her goals in life are to try every extreme sport once and to become fluent in at least ten languages. To read her blog go to: Los Centroamericanos
Mike Ritter is a senior at the University of Arizona, majoring in journalism. He is currently the sports editor for the Arizona Daily Wildcat and an associate reporter for the Arizona Diamondbacks on MLB.com. After his December 2008 graduation, Mike will be returning to his home town of San Diego, California. To read his blog go to: Ritter's Blog
Jenna Rogers is a senior at the University of Arizona, majoring in journalism with a minor in political science. She has always had a strong interest in politics and is currently an intern at Project Vote Smart, a non-profit, non-partisan organization that dispenses information to voters. There, she writes for the bi-monthly e-newsletter. Jenna was born and raised in Tucson, Arizona, but hopes to attend graduate school on the East Coast after her December 2008 graduation. When she is not writing or studying, she can be found playing Guitar Hero or watching the Discovery Channel. To read her blog go to: Spice up your Life
Lindsay Sparks is a senior at the University of Arizona and will be graduating this May. She is majoring in journalism with a minor in women's studies. Lindsay has interned at the non-profit Aurora Foundation, doing public relations work, and has worked at Canyon Ranch Spa and Resort, publishing health-related stories online and in various resort publications. She has always loved to read and write and someday hopes to publish a book. To read her blog go to: Life on the Line