Amanda Becker is a journalist who thinks it very fortuitous that she attended volunteer training just as 826LA was trying to launch a journalism workshop. Now, she can be found at the Echo Park Time Travel Mart on Monday nights explaining ledes, vetting story ideas, and trying to get the 826LA Good Times off the ground.

Amanda moved to Los Angeles from New York a few years ago to attend graduate school at the University of Southern California. After she finished her Master's in Journalism last summer, she became a reporter at the Los Angeles Daily Journal, where she writes about all things law. When not rushing to meet a daily deadline, Amanda enjoys cooking, hosting dinner parties, and continually questing to improve her Scrabble skills.

Dan Rinsch is a Southland native who's accepted that California will probably never slip into the ocean, but he still thinks small earthquakes are fun. Among his notable achievements are a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Film/TV from New York University, his PADI Divemaster certification, and his ability to identify at least twenty different corals by their scientific name. His writing includes screenplays, articles for ezines, and several strongly-worded letters to his local congressperson. Whenever possible, he enjoys a good afternoon of wordsmithing, number crunching, and laughter among the great minds of the future at 826LA.

Eve Troeh has worked in public radio for almost a decade now as an editor, producer, and reporter. If you've heard her voice, it was most likely on National Public Radio reporting about New Orleans in the years after Hurricane Katrina. Now she's in production at the public radio show Marketplace Money, the weekend edition of Marketplace. She spends her days getting earfuls of economic indicators, often followed by a walk to the Central Library a few blocks away with a stop for pho and fried spring rolls; crunchy is her favorite flavor. At 826LA East, Eve helped start the journalism workshop, and she loves the very talented fellow volunteers there. She also does high school AP English tutoring at Oscar de la Hoya Animo across from her work. The 826 students astound her with their creativity.

By day, Christine Ziemba works as a writer/editor for a nonprofit health foundation. By night, she's either working as an arts and events editor for LAist.com or writing freelance for outlets like the Los Angeles Times or Paste magazine. She thinks that sleep is overrated but does it anyway.

Born in Boston and raised in Reading, PA, Christine holds a B.A. in Communications from Boston College and a Master's in Mass Communication from Arizona State University. She loves working with the kids (and tutors!) in 826LA's journalism workshop—hoping to keep the art form alive for future Woodwards and Bernsteins. She lives a stone's throw away from Magic Mountain with her husband Skyler and Kirby, their really cute dog.