MidWeek’s Movers - Meet the Staff
Editor-in-Chief Don Chapman has been with MidWeek since November 1994. He previously spent 13 years writing a daily column for the Honolulu Advertiser. A native of Salem, Ore., and a product of the school of journalism at the University of Oregon, where he served as sports editor of the daily campus paper, he also worked for the San Jose Mercury News as a sports columnist and as sports editor of the East-Oregonian in Pendleton. He is the proud pop of two Kamehameha and college grads, Dawn and Kai.
Terri Hefner, MidWeek senior editor, was hired by Vera Benedek, former editor of MidWeek, in January 1993 as editorial assistant, and has since “worked her way up” to senior editor. She is now responsible for most of the copy editing, and serves as managing editor of the four MidWeek Islander papers and our Military Star News. She was born and raised in Bristol, R.I., and moved to the Islands in 1988. She lives in Kailua with husband Bryan and son Adam.
Carol Chang, regional editor, reporter, columnist, has always written for a school or community newspaper - ever since she picked up a quill, ballpoint pen, typewriter, word processor and (finally?) computer. She graduated from University of Oregon, majoring in German so she could be a spy in Europe. She married a local boy instead and raised three children in Kaneohe. Now Carol is a “spy” for news in Oahu’s MidWeek neighborhoods. She’s logged 25 years of Sun Press-MidWeek employment and feels that community news is the best career left in journalism, and believes she’s lucky to still be in the thick of it.
Yu Shing Ting serves as managing editor and is responsible for MidWeek‘s Style page. She also has a photo column called Xposure, writes a health and fitness column called On The Move and roams the Island with photographer Nathalie Walker for MidWeek‘s Poll. Yu Shing has been with MidWeek since 2001. She is a graduate of Kaiser High School and the University of Hawaii. She and husband Travin Makinano have a 1-year-old son Koen.
Gina Lambert, MidWeek art director, joined MidWeek in 1987 as a layout artist when a designer had a real (not virtual) tool-box of technical pens, pencils, straight edges, curves, triangles and a rainbow of colored markers. She was elated in 1992 when her toolbox of pens, etc. was replaced with a Mac. Since 1996, Gina has been responsible for designing the MidWeek cover. In addition to art direction, she also manages the creative team responsible for the advertising/marketing print design and production of MidWeek and all of its sister publications. She lives in Kaneohe with husband Jake and their daughter Erin. They also have a son Brandon and a 11-month-old granddaughter Kailee.
Steve Murray abruptly invaded the once-calm MidWeek offices after graduating from the University of Hawaii in 2002. He is a former editor of Kapio and Ka Leo O Hawaii and is currently an associate editor for MidWeek. A Navy veteran, Steve is the editor of Military Star News, which serves Army, Navy and Air Force readers. He also writes a long-winded weekly sports column titled Hot Air and dreams of one day fulfilling his goal of owning a Corvette and five motorcycles.
Linda Dela Cruz is the MidWeek website editor and senior writer. She writes community news, a column on small niche businesses called Entrepreneurs, and coordinates the Business Roundtable. She joined MidWeek in 2000. The Connecticut School of Broadcasting graduate worked full time in radio from 1997 to 2000, and she’s presently a weekend talk show producer and news reporter for Clear Channel Hawaii. Originally from Brooklyn, NY., she moved to Honolulu in 1996.
Kerry Miller is the MidWeek calendar editor, staff writer and coordinates the Hot Ticket celebrity movie reviews. The New Hampshire native has worked for MidWeek since May 2005. She previously worked as a news and sports reporter for The Peterborough Transcript .In 2002, she graduated with a B.A. in journalism from Keene State College, where she served as news editor of The Equinox, the KSC student newspaper.
Melissa Moniz began her journey at MidWeek in 2003, a bright-eyed Hilo High and UH-Manoa graduate armed with a B.A. in english and journalism. From staff writer to associate editor, her past six years have included inter-viewing some of Hawaii’s best and brightest to enlisting in Baby Boot Camp and sleeping over at the Honolulu Zoo. When she’s not printing out photo assignments and fielding requests for Pa’ina and Scene@Night, she can be found at any of Oahu’s local hospitals and clinics interviewing physicians for Dr. In The House, or catching up with local musicians for Music Montage. She and husband James celebrate their five-year anniversary next month and are the proud parents of daughters Taylor, 6 and Kylie, 3.
Alana Folen is responsible for Old Friends, HotShots, Movers and Gossip. She has been with MidWeek since 2007, and previously worked at KITV-4 as an associate producer. A St. Andrews Priory alumna, Folen graduated from UHManoa with a degree in journalism and a certificate in French. This local girl loves to travel and explore the world, recently venturing to Italy and Greece. She is a proud mommy to her yellow Lab Kea.
Sarah Pacheco serves as assistant regional Editor for MidWeek‘s four Islander community inserts, with her main focus on West Oahu (Pearl City to Ko Olina). She also writes the Good Neighbor feature and compiles the recently launched Proof Positive column for local nonprofits. A graduate of Kamehameha Schools and UH-Manoa’s journalism program, Sarah has worked with MidWeek since October 2007. She lives in Mililani with boyfriend Shannon Shima, their two cats, Rocko and Kipling, and an ever-growing population of fish.
Nathalie Walker is chief photographer and has been with MidWeek for 12 years. She previously worked as a free-lance photographer for Sun Press and lives in Kailua with husband Mark. Nathalie was born and raised in France, moved to Hawaii 22 years ago and has been chasing images ever since.
Senior photographer Byron Lee joined the staff in March 1999. He is a graduate of Mid-Pacific Institute and UH, where he shot photos for sports media relations and was photo editor of Ka Leo, the campus newspaper.
Staff photographer Leah Ball has been with MidWeek since 2007. She previously worked as a freelance photographer specializing in fashion and landscape photography and also as a photo retoucher both in Manhattan and Hawaii. She has a B.F.A. in photography from the School of Visual Arts and also an A.A. degree in photography from the Fashion Institute of Technology, both in Manhattan. Leah was born and raised in Kailua, graduated from Kailua High, and is a new mother of a very cute, very furry beagle-mixed puppy named Mena.
Most Recent Comment(s):
Del.icio.us
