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.
Newton’s addition to the CalMatters Commentary section is part of a larger effort to increase voices offering perspectives on statewide public policy issues.