About Our Staff
Senior Team
Nora Youngelson
Editor in ChiefNora Youngelson (senior) is a Comparative Studies in Literature & Culture major with French Studies and Interdisciplinary Writing minors. She is The Occidental’s Editor-in-Chief. In her free time, she enjoys playing Ultimate Frisbee and exploring Southern California.
Eli Heringman
Managing EditorEli Heringman (junior) is a double major in Media Arts & Culture and Japanese Studies, hailing from Columbia, Missouri. He is currently serving as The Occidental’s Managing Editor. Outside of school and the paper, Eli makes videos with Patio Production and frequents De Mandel Aquatics Center.
James Miller
Senior EditorJames Miller (senior) is an English major and Biology minor from Palo Alto, California who served as the Fall 2024 editor-in-chief of The Occidental. Miller has a twin brother, John, and enjoys long walks on the beach with Beau, his family’s German Shepard. He aspires to spend a night in every California county.
Barbara Thomas
AdvisorBarbara Thomas has been The Occidental staff advisor since September 2016. A career journalist, she spent 24 years at the Los Angeles Times where she held many roles, including reporter, copy editor and Executive News Editor. Previously she was a reporter in Gary, Ind. She was part of two Pulitzer Prize teams for Spot News reporting at the LA Times. Thomas has an M.A. in journalism from Indiana University in Bloomington, Ind., and B.A. in English from University of Pittsburgh.
Section Editors
Anna Beatty
Arts & Culture EditorAnna Beatty (senior) is a double major in Comparative Studies in Literature and Culture and Chinese Studies with a minor in Linguistics from Austin, Texas. She finds solace in ice cream indulgence and poetry. This is her eighth semester at The Occidental.
Ava Anderson
Arts & Culture EditorAva Anderson (sophomore) is a Diplomacy and World Affairs major and Spanish minor from Portland, Oregon. She has worked as a writer on The Occidental since the fall of her first year. When not editing and writing, she enjoys hiking, aimlessly walking around new places and museums, and sitting outside in the sun.
Kawena Jacobs
Campus News EditorKawena Jacobs (senior) is a Music Production major from Pennsylvania. She is a news editor at The Occidental and served as the Spring 2025 Editor-in-Chief. If you wish you could hear her voice more than just in the newsroom, you can find your new favorite song in her discography or ask her about free solo legend Alex Honnold.
Mackenzie Ribner
Campus News EditorMackenzie Ribner (junior) is a Philosophy major and Asian Studies minor from Boston, Massachusetts. He currently works as a News Editor at The Occidental, and co-writes the paper’s sports column. In his free time, he supports his beloved Jacksonville Jaguars and watches yakuza movies.
Abigail Montopoli
Community News EditorAbigail Montopoli (senior) is a Media Arts & Culture major with Public Health and Gender Studies minors. She currently serves as a community section editor at The Occidental. In her free time, she loves to play Ultimate Frisbee or read. Abigail has served as a copy editor, photographer, and staff writer with The Occidental, prior to her time as a section editor.
Naisha John
Community News EditorNaisha John (first year) is a Diplomacy & World Affairs major from Mountain View, California. She is currently a community news editor at The Occidental. In her free time, she enjoys ballet, reading, and Star Wars.
Isabella Shotwell
Opinions EditorIsabella Shotwell (junior) is an English major from Los Angeles, California. She is an opinions editor and this is her sixth semester at the newspaper. If you want to chat, you can probably find her getting an iced coffee on or off campus.
Eliana Joftus
Opinions EditorEliana Joftus (junior) is a Media Arts and Culture major and an Interdisciplinary Writing minor from Bethesda, Maryland. She started at the paper as a writer in the fall of her first year, and now works as an opinions editor. Outside of the newsroom, you can find Eliana performing stand-up and improv comedy.
Josey Long
Sports EditorJosey Long (sophomore) is a double major in Philosophy and Music Composition from Bethesda, Maryland. She works as a sports editor at The Occidental. When she’s not playing ultimate frisbee or guitar, you can find her reading or writing thinkpieces on her Substack blog.
Ben Petteruti
Sports EditorBen Petteruti (junior) is a History major with a minor in Interdisciplinary Writing. He has been working at the paper since the spring of his first year as a writer and occasional photographer. He also writes a bi-weekly national sports column with fellow editor Mac Ribner. In his current position of Sports Editor, he is eager to grow the sports section from a human interest standpoint, and help new writers improve their craft. In his free time, he enjoys experiencing nature, amateur photography, and going to the gym.
Levi Lee
Media EditorLevi Lee (junior) is a double major in Critical Theory & Social Justice and Japanese Studies with a minor in Linguistics from Hong Kong. He currently works as a media editor for The Occidental. They previously worked as a writer and illustrator at the paper.
Anthony Cordova
Media EditorAnthony Cordova (first year) is a Biology major on the Pre-medicine track from Albuquerque, New Mexico. He currently works as a media editor and photographer for The Occidental.
Diana Trutia
Features and Layout EditorDiana Trutia (junior) is a double major in Media Arts & Culture and Diplomacy & World Affairs from Richmond, Virginia. She is currently the features editor and head layout editor at The Occidental. In her free time, she likes doing calligraphy and decorating her planner.
Other Staff
Magdalene Selin-Williams
Business ManagerMagdalene Selin-Williams (sophomore) is a Sociology major from Washington, DC. She works as The Occidental’s Business Manager. In her free time, she enjoys making collages, playing rugby, and going on road trips.
Caden Zamastil
Head Copy EditorCaden Zamastil (senior) is a history major. Zamastil is the Head Copy Editor for The Occidental. When not in the newsroom, Zamastil enjoys playing bass and guitar, reading, bouldering, watching Ghibli movies and playing Stardew Valley.
Addie Fabel
Web TeamAddie Fabel (senior) is a Media Arts & Culture major and Biology minor from Saint Paul, Minnesota. She is the Senior Web Designer and a photographer at The Occidental. Addie enjoys spending time outdoors, skiing, and making silly mockumentaries.
Kate Netzer
Web TeamKate Netzer (junior) is a Media, Arts, and Culture and Comparative Studies in Literature and Culture double major. She is the Junior Web Designer for The Occidental. Outside of school, Kate can usually be found with a camera in hand, a book half-finished, or deep in a word search.
Writers
Photographers
Copy Editors
Illustrators
Layout Editors
Photo Editors
Crossword Editors
The mission of The Occidental is to provide fair, accurate and balanced journalism of the highest quality to members of Occidental College as well as the local community. We promote the free exchange of information, and our staff strives to maintain the highest professional journalistic ethics and standards.
We aim to prioritize truth, credibility, and transparency above all else in our reporting; hold the leadership of the student body, college and larger community accountable; and provide a platform for productive community dialogue.
As the official student newspaper of Occidental College, The Occidental aims to fulfill three primary functions. The first is to inform our audience by presenting unbiased and accurate information regarding topics and events of importance and interest to the Occidental and local community. The second is to serve as a public forum by providing commentary on issues important to the community and encouraging community members to respond, contribute and participate in community dialogue. The third is to educate by creating an effective and inclusive learning environment where staff members can learn the journalism trade and professional skills.
We are a completely student-run organization. We strive to uphold the Society of Professional Journalists' Code of Ethics as the standards for our policies and procedures.
Read our Frequently Asked Questions in order to learn more about our organization, practices and policies.
