Meet the team: A great group of reporters, photographers, and a community engagement specialist

All of our contributors are freelance or contract employees, but there is nothing part-time about their dedication to their work and the communities they serve. Led by Managing Editor Theresa Coty O’Neil, the Southwest Michigan editorial team includes Al Jonesaward-winning, experienced journalists and photographers.  Al Jones, the former Business editor of the Kalamazoo Gazette, applies his longtime knowledge of the community to his position as the lead writer for the On the Ground Project and as a housing and general assignment feature writer. Jane (Simons) Parikh, former Kalamazoo Gazette and Battle Creek Enquirer reporter, is highly-regarded for her coverage as the Battle Creek On the Ground Project Editor; Mark Wedel, whose arts and people-focused coverage and in-depth knowledge on all things bicycle-related, has garnered a loyal following; Rosemary Parker, a highly-respected writer and editor in Southwest Michigan for over 40 years and whose coverage ranges across the state; Mike Wenninger has found a place for himself among our ranks; Casey Grooten, who is passionate about the arts, transgender rights, social justice, and equity; Zinta Aistars has provided many great features for Second Wave, and various freelance writers who provide pieces for publication throughout the year. Sam Kapp, an independent historian with a passion for the environment joined us in 2023 and came in strong with Trail Tales. In 2024, Maya James, became the first Social Practice Correspondent for Southwest Jane ParikhMichigan's Second Wave. Her work continues to ignite change through storytelling, inspiring others to join her in using art as a platform to achieve a better future. Through our work with the Southwest Michigan Journalism Collaborative, Natasha Robinson has proven herself indispensable.

Our Kalamazoo photographers include Fran Dwight, a well-regarded local photographer whose iconic images uniquely capture the people and places of Southwest Michigan, Taylor Scamehorn, an interdisciplinary Kalamazoo-based artist, who has been taking photos for Second Wave since 2019, and in Battle Creek, John Grap, longtime and award-winning photojournalist, formerly with the Battle Creek Enquirer. Southwest Michigan Second Wave also has one Community Engagement Mark WedelSpecialist., Vicky Kettner, who serves behind
 the scenes for all our outreach for Voices of Youth. Earlene McMichael leads our Voices of Youth program in Kalamazoo, along with mentors Al Jones, Jane Parikh, and Casey Grooten. J.R. Reynold has helped with our Voices of Youth efforts in Battle Creek. We were fortunate for work done by Jeff Cotton as a Community Engagment Specialist in Battle Creek and for a short time Jeremy Andrews served in that role as we began our coverage of the Cereal City.