Profiles

ShaVonne Herndon is the Houston political correspondent for COURIER Texas. Born and raised in Houston, she has built a reputation for sharp, entertaining, and insightful reporting across a wide range of beats, from news to sports, with a focus on community impact and civic engagement. When she’s not chasing down the next big story, she’s…

Zahiyah Carter is a journalist and published author based in Dallas. She’s passionate about storytelling that uplifts marginalized communities, drinking Dutch Bros, listening to music, and getting lost in a good book. When she’s not reporting, you can find her writing a new novel.

Khanay Turner is the Executive Director of the Barbara Jordan Leadership Institute, attorney, voting rights activist, and a lifelong resident of Tarrant County’s Precinct 1. BJLI works to increase the diversity of leadership by training, mentoring, supporting, and uplifting Black communities across the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex, East Texas, and the Greater Houston Area.

Young Invincibles is a national organization that amplifies the voices of young adults in the political process and expands economic opportunity for our generation; while we are based in DC, we also work in California, Colorado, Illinois, New York, and Texas.

Sierra Rozen is COURIER HTX’s newsletter editor. Sierra has lived in Houston for more than 15 years and has worked across various media for more than five years. You can typically find her at her local movie theater seeing the latest horror release or updating her bookstagram> to share her latest reads. Have a story…

Sydni Ellis is a freelance writer whose work has appeared in HuffPost, SheKnows, Motherly, Romper, POPSUGAR, and other publications focused on lifestyle, entertainment, parenting, and wellness. She has a Master of Journalism from the University of North Texas and a Best Mama award from her three little boys (at least, that’s what she thinks the…

Amber Mills is the Issue Advocacy Director at MOVE Texas. She helps lead transformative initiatives and campaigns to empower young Texans.

Rebecca Deurlein is a freelance writer who specializes in travel, lifestyle, food & beverage, and wellness. You can find her work in a broad range of publications, including Forbes, Travel & Leisure, Thrillist, Eater, Salon, and Southern Living. Deurlein is also the author of the parenting book Teenagers 101.

Tyler Francischine is a journalist who writes about travel, arts, and culture. She’s passionate about human rights, the Atlantic Ocean, alligators, and organizing large-scale, community events.

Jessica F. Simmons is a Reporter & Strategic Communications Producer for COURIER, covering community stories and public policies across the country. Featured in print, broadcast, and radio journalism, her work shows her passion for local storytelling and amplifying issues that matter to communities nationwide.

Lucas Henkel is a Reporter & Strategic Communications Producer for COURIER based in mid-Michigan, covering community stories and public policies across the country. His award-winning work shows his passion for local storytelling and amplifying issues that matter to communities nationwide.

Gwen Frisbie-Fulton is a writer and organizer at Addition Project and is based out of Greensboro, North Carolina. She writes about working-class people, places, and organizing on the Substack Working Class Storytelling .

Jessica Swarner is the community editor for The Copper Courier. She is an ASU alumna and previously worked at KTAR News 92.3 FM in Phoenix.

Ryan Pitkin is a writer and editor based in Charlotte, where he runs an alternative weekly newspaper called Queen City Nerve. He is also editor of NoDa News, a community newsletter in the neighborhood where he has lived for 15 years.

Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner is executive director of MomsRising.org, a nonprofit national organization that supports policies to improve family economic security. She is also the author of books including “Keep Marching: How Every Woman Can Take Action and Change Our World.”

Born and bred in Western North Carolina, Brook Bolen is based in Asheville, NC and has written for publications including Thrillist, Vice, the Guardian, and Salon.

Glen Whitley served Tarrant County for more than 25 years, first as a commissioner then as county judge. He is a past president of the National Association of Counties and of the North Central Texas Council of Governments.

Karen Skelton is a Visiting Scholar at Stanford University’s Doerr School of Sustainability. She served 2021-2024 in the Biden-Harris Administration as a Senior Policy Advisor to both Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm and the President’s top Climate Diplomat, John Podesta, where she worked on strategies to accelerate the nation’s industrial policy transition to a clean…