Nicholas “Nick” Vides (he/him) Is a seasoned breaking news reporter dedicated to making sure every shutter click of his camera captures a moment worth sharing. Nick’s itch for chasing fires has kept him busy over the past seven years, covering every major fire event in Northern California from the Paradise Fire to the Caldor Fire. Nick currently splits his time as a contract photographer with The Press Democrat and works for Highway 12 Winery in Sonoma, California as a cellar hand. He has more than 10 years of experience with photography, has been director of photography for multiple short films with the SRJC Media Arts Center, directed numerous student-led broadcasts with his Media 19 class, and interned for The Sarah and Vinnie Show on Alice 97.3.

Michael Combs (he/him) began taking natural resources management classes at Santa Rosa Junior College to pursue his love of nature and the environment but has shifted toward journalism so he can share those passions with the world. Besides the environment, Michael also likes to write about politics, social justice and mental health. He has a bachelor’s of science in neuroscience and mammalian physiology from the University of California, San Diego, and hopes to get back to his roots with more science journalism as well. In his off time Michael likes to read, write and hike as often as possible in beautiful Sonoma County and beyond.

Audrey Fry (she/her) is exploring new careers at SRJC after teaching science for many years. She likes learning and organizing information so that it’s useful for others. This is her second semester at The Oak Leaf. Outside of class, Audrey can be found playing with her new puppy, watching “Nova” on PBS or reading “The Lord of the Rings.”