Sonya builds bridges between the community and CalMatters as director of membership. Previously, she led engagement, membership, marketing, digital storytelling and product at Voice of OC, a nonprofit news agency in Orange County, Calif. She has worked as an adjunct professor of digital journalism at Chapman University and mobile app development at Saddleback University. She worked for a decade at the Orange County Register as an editor, product manager and reporter across mobile, social media, web and mobile app development, disaster coverage, infographics, technology and community news. She has been awarded for her work on infographics, news website design, news article design and social media engagement in reporting. She has a bachelor's degree in journalism from Cal State Long Beach where she led the student newspaper in transitioning to an independent model, and she has practiced journalism since starting a newspaper in the fourth grade.
The latest investigation from CalMatters digs into how five million Californians waited for delayed unemployment benefits while the state was being defrauded of billions of dollars by scammers from around the world.
The California Voices commentary section will provide the best place in the state to read and contribute thought-provoking editorials from a variety of perspectives.
Building knowledge and access for young journalists and their teachers is crucial to building a better, more community-focused news ecosystem in California and across the nation.