Nicholas “Nick” Vides (he/him) Is a seasoned breaking news photographer dedicated to making sure every shutter click of his camera captures a moment worth sharing. During the fall 2025 semester, Nick was asked to step into the roll of Ad Manager for The Oak Leaf and is a staff member of the Santa Rosa Junior College. Separately, Nick works as a contract photographer with The Press Democrat and is a cellarhand for Highway 12 Winery in Sonoma, California. Nick has over a decade of experience with photography, and served many roles with The Oak Leaf prior to his position as Ad Manager.  

Lauren fills multiple roles at The Oak Leaf, from writing her own work to managing the back-end operation while also supporting her peers and The Oak Leaf’s adviser. She is committed to working as a professional journalist after almost 15 years away from the field, time spent working in sales and tech, moving cross-country and becoming a mother. Lauren is a native East Coaster giving the Left Coast a whirl. She is a newshound, bookworm, dog lover, Maryland Terrapins fan and a knit and crochet enthusiast. She is forever a cheerleader.

Maritza is a second-year journalism major at SRJC with plans to transfer in Fall 2021 to continue her study of journalism. Her desire to cover social issues started in the 4th grade when she wrote about social issues for her elementary school’s paper. Maritza also enjoys working out and listening to music, which will inform her arts and entertainment coverage.

Rebecca Bell is a staff writer at The Oak Leaf. She returned to school for a certificate in digital journalism. Rebecca worked as an ESL instructor, sustainable farmer and freelance writer. She loves telling stories through photography, video documentary, radio and print.