I wrote and edited for three different Patches in 2011 before I signed up for the editor's job in Walnut Creek in July. I'm fascinated by the interactivity of the new Patch journalism after decades of the old interactivity as an editor and reporter in newspapers in New York and California.

I live in Moraga with my wife Anne, our two daughters and rascally orange cat Toby. Email address is lance.howland@patch.com. Phone number is (925) 348-7954.

In my free time, I like to take in a movie with my family and get a big bag of popcorn. I love to jog on trails. Having given up the dream of the NBA, I still play pickup basketball. It's fun to read Faulkner and listen to Dylan, sometimes at the same time.

I'm a native of Skaneateles, New York. I have a history degree from Colgate University and a master's degree in journalism from Cal Berkeley. 

Renee's roots are in the Great Lakes of Michigan.  This is also where she met her husband and started a family which now includes two children.   She then had the opportunity to explore the United States literally living in one end to the other. From Michigan it was off (or they went to) to sunny California, then to the south in Virginia and most recently to the east coast, Rhode Island.   Renee and her family love the New England coast and small town charm.  Renee has become very good at getting her family acclimated quickly in new communities.  Her bouncing around the United States is one of the reasons she found Patch's "one-stop-shopping" approach to community news and information so exciting.  Prior to her "bouncing", Renee worked in the health care field as an Occupational Therapist.  Her interests include photography, scrapbooking, reading, and horseback riding.

Dixie Jordan, a veteran of East Bay journalism, is currently the guest editor for Piedmont Patch. You can reach her at dixiemjordan@gmail.com.

Adalto Nascimento is the editor of Concord Patch.

He's earned a B.A. degree in journalism with a minor in photography from California State University, Sacramento, where he expanded and developed his writing, photography and multimedia skills.

He worked as a freelance journalist and photographer in the Sacramento region for three years prior to assuming editorial responsibilities at Concord Patch in July of 2011.

Adalto also sold his work to the Associated Press, the Pulitzer Prize-winning Sacramento Bee and other organizations. Prior to that he worked as the online managing editor and photo editor of the university's student-run newspaper, The State Hornet and before that, for Diablo Valley College's The Inquirer. 

Contact him at adalto.nascimento@patch.com with any news tips, questions or concerns.

Amy McCurdy is a writer, publicist and full-time mom to two young boys.

Aric Martinez grew up in the East Bay.  He is passionate about small business and big ideas.  He looks forward to meeting with you and helping your business grow with Patch's advertising solutions. You can contact him at aric.martinez@patch.com

Born and raised in West Hempstead, Matt has lived on Long Island his whole life. He graduated from Binghamton University in May of 2009 with a degree in English.

Matt joined Patch (Port Washington) in April 2010 as a sports writer. In May 2010 he transitioned from sports to business, politics, schools, and other issues featured on Patch.

Matt was the local editor for Bellmore Patch for nearly a year before being promoted to Associate Regional Editor in Nassau County.

Julie is a Tri-Valley resident who has written for regional publications and websites such as Patch, Diablo Magazine, Tri-Valley Magazine, Black Diamond Living and MomsLikeMe.com. Julie, former editor of San Ramon Patch, writes the popular Sprouts and Shutters, a column about business openings and closing for the Tri-Valley Patch sites covering Livermore, Pleasanton, Dublin, San Ramon and Danville/Alamo.

She also helps manage Patch's Main Street Meet-Up, a series of workshops designed to help small business better navigate their online presence.

Creek Diva is a long-time Walnut Creek resident with a passion for blogging, and for reading the Walnut Creek Police Department's daily bulletin. 

Cecelia Leong is a freelance writer and researcher based in Alameda.  She has lived in Alameda since 1991. 

Contact Cecelia at cleong4patch@gmail.com

I am TheRealBarman, an East Bay bartender with a knack for pointing out the ridiculousness in people and the bar life in general. I write for and love the Patch editors who take good care of me and I also write a blog at TheRealBarman.com because I can swear there like a turrets syndrome misfit and post moronic pictures that only the unemployed would enjoy.

If I offend you, I'm sorry. It's not you, it's me. I use humor and sarcasm as a shield to hide my insecurities and misgivings.

I like bartending, writing, burritos, tacos, tostadas and my family. And shiny things. I like to chase shiny things. If you'd like to send me a message, I will be more than happy to respond as soon as I am sober (I learned that one the hard way).

Dave@TheRealBarman.com

Cheers.

TheRealBarman

Lou Fancher is a freelance writer based in the East Bay.  Her work has been published by WIRED.com. Diablo Arts Magazine, the Bay Area News Group, Lamorinda and Walnut Creek Patch, the Lamorinda Weekly, and San Francisco's InDance.  She is a children's book author, designer and illustrator, with over 40 books in print.  When not at the keyboard or seated at an easel, Lou is involved in the dance field.  Recently the Ballet Mistress for Company C Contemporary Ballet, she continues to coach and train professional ballet and contemporary dance companies in the U. S. and Canada.  Visit her website online at www.johnsonandfancher.com.

Ten plus years in Albany; mom of a tween and teen; two plus decades as a journalist and writer for the web, newspapers, magazines - you name it. Writer for hospitals, government, nonprofits. Disclosure: Work part-time for a Contra Costa County Supervisor and will never write about Contra Costa issues.

Steve has been a sports writer for 12 years. He spent most of that time working at ANG, which turned into the Bay Area News Group in 2007. He was a part-timer at The Argus in Fremont, CA from 1998-2001. In 2001 he became a full-time staff writer. In 2002, he was promoted to local sports editor. His main beat was prep, youth and Ohlone sports in the Tri-City area and the Mission Valley Athletic League. He has also covered the gamut of professional sports in the Bay Area: 49ers, Raiders, Warriors, A's and Giants.

Hi Walnut Creek!

My name is Jonathan Hawthorne, and I'm a Junior at Las Lomas High School. I love to write, cover sports events with my camera, swim, and hang out with my friends!

You can contact me directly by email: jbhswim2@gmail.com

Martha Ross is a former editor at Diablo magazine and of Diablo Arts magazine. She is also the founding publishing of the blog, CrazyinSuburbia, and the founding editor of Walnut Creek Patch. She now works as PR manager for the Lesher Center for the Arts and the Diablo Regional Arts Association, its nonprofit fundraiser. Born in Walnut Creek's Kaiser hospital, she is also a graduate of Walnut Creek public K-12 schools. She lives here in town with her mother, husband and 13-year-old son.

AJ was born and raised in the East Bay. After spending time working at the Daily Review Newspaper, he found himself working for several different radio stations in the Bay Area. It was then that he came to realize that he belongs in the studio and in the newsroom. These are his happy places.

Adam Berke is a former assistant sports editor and current freelance writer for Patch in the East Bay focusing on the towns of Walnut Creek, Concord, Benicia, and Clayton. He spent time on staff as a sports writer at the Oakland Tribune, where he covered prep-sports focused on the Oakland Athletic League and the East Bay Athletic League. He was also a correspondent for the Marin Independent Journal where he published several opinion columns to go along with game stories for high school sports. 

While at UC Berkeley, Adam was a public relations intern for the Oakland Raiders for three seasons where he wrote feature stories on players and coaches for the Gameday Magazine and Raiders.com. 

Adam began covering prep-sports as as a staff writer for his high school newspaper, the Marin Academy Voice.  He graduated from Marin Academy in 2002 and UC Berkeley in 2006.

Contact him at adberke@gmail.com

Phil Meyer is Professor Emeritus in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and was inducted into the North Carolina Hall of Fame in Journalism in the spring of 2008.  He joined the Journalism School in 1981 and served as Knight Chair in Journalism Professor from 1993-2008.  Prior to joining the school, he held a number of reporter and research positions at various media outlets. 

He has won numerous awards including the 2005 Sigma Delta Chi Distinguished Service Award for Research About Journalism (with Scott Maier). He was named a Fellow of Society of Professional Journalists in 2005. In 2004, the Newspaper Division of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication gave him its Professional Freedom and Responsibility Award. And in 2000 he received the American Association for Public Opinion Research Award for Exceptionally Distinguished Achievement.

Meyer is the author of several books including The Vanishing Newspaper:  Saving Journalism in the Information Age and Precision Journalism:  A Reporter’s Introduction to Social Science Methods.  Journalism Quarterly in 2000 listed this book as one of the 35 significant books of the 20th century in journalism and mass communication; and the American Association for Public Opinion Research, observing its 50th anniversary in 1996, listed it as one of 50 significant books on public opinion research.

He received his B.S. in technical journalism from Kansas State University and his M.A. in political science from the University of North Carolina.

Jeff Jarvis is the associate professor and director of the interactive journalism program at the City University of New York’s new Graduate School of Journalism.  He also blogs about media and news at Buzzmachine.com; is consulting editor of Daylife; writes a media column for the Guardian, and consults for media companies.

Prior to his current responsibilities, Jarvis held positions including president and creative director of Advance.net; creator and founding editor of Entertainment Weekly; Sunday editor and associated publisher of the New York Daily News; TV critic for TV Guide and People; a columnist for the San Francisco Examiner; assistant city editor and reporter for the Chicago Tribune and reporter for Chicago Today.

Jarvis is the author of What Would Google Do?

Steven Berlin Johnson is a pioneer in the web world, as a co-founder of FEED, Plastic.com, and Outside.in, which was acquired by Patch in March of 2011. He also co-created Findings.com, which launched in late 2011. Steven was the 2009 Hearst New Media Professional-in-Residence at The Journalism School at Columbia University, and served for several years as a Distinguished Writer in Residence at NYU’s Journalism School. He is a bestselling author of seven books, and won acclaim and a Newhouse School Mirror Award for his 2010 Time Magazine cover story, "How Twitter Will Change the Way We Live." 

Speaking of Steven's editorial prowess, check out this video based on Steven's book, Where Good Ideas Come From, which was named one of the best books of 2010 by The Economist.