Staff

Editor - Jesse Russell
Jesse was born and raised in the tiny state of Connecticut. He escaped to Madison in 2003 after graduating from the University of Connecticut with a degree in journalism. In addition to dane101 he hosts a number of semiregular events in town including What's Your Damage?! and MadPubQuiz of Awesomeness. His favorite band is the Pixies, but he has a soft spot for REO Speedwagon.

Technical Director - Shane Wealti
Born and raised in 80 square miles surrounded by reality, Shane finds himself with a firmer grasp on reality than most people who grew up outside of the Reality Distortion Field known as Madison, Wisconsin. He is employed in the warehouse automation industry where his background in computational linguistics is proving to be almost useless. On the weekends when he's not at a local drinking establishment he is usually spending way too much time doing LexisNexis research to debunk the latest right-wing talking points.

Contributing Writer - Jason Dean
Jason Dean is a freelance writer and web designer in Madison. His writing has been published or linked to by various sources, including Isthmus, The Capital Times, 77 Square, Slashdot, and CNN. A native of Wisconsin, he lived in Milwaukee for eight years before moving to Madison to pursue a master’s degree in journalism at the University of Wisconsin. His writing interests include technology, sports, and politics. More of his ramblings can be found on his blog MidwesternBoy.com.

Contributing Writer - Kyle "el guante" Myhre
el guante is an emcee, writer and activist who has written for the Badger Herald, Emmie Magazine, The Wisconsinite and the Madison Observer. His second album, "vanishing point," was released in 2005, and his blog can be read here. He has lived in Madison since 2001.

Contributing Writer - Amanda Ciesielczyk
Amanda is a die-hard Brewers fan, born and raised in suburban
Milwaukee. Nonetheless, weeks after high school graduation, Amanda fled to Madison where she began scientific studies for a University lab in a corn field. Since then she has been working in other laboratories on campus and is actively pursuing a Bachelors of Nutritional Science. Her love for food and nutrition shines as she tours the Madison farmers market on a weekly basis, then ventures to her home near Camp Randall to conjure up new delicacies. After graduating and touring the culinary creations of far off countries, she plans on settling down and writing for a food/health magazine.

Contributing Writer - Matt Waters
Matt was born in a living room on Madison's near west side. Moving downtown to "make it big in the music industry," he played bass for The Shivers. Having mastered popular music, he set out to destroy it through repitition on his student radio show. He currently works for a taxi company and enjoys collecting garbage, piling files, writing at slopvehicle, and listening to stale punk rock. He hopes to one day find a beer cheaper than Hackstein.

Contributing Writer - Lisa Nunez
Lisa is a native New Yorker who took the Minneapolis route to Madison and now lives on the city's near-east side. She delights in finding the odd nooks of Wisconsin and piquing others' interest with articles in a variety of publications. Previously a regular contributor to The Wisconsinite, she's pleased to have Dane101 as another excuse to hunt cheap amusements. As part of the WORT 89.9 FM collective, Lisa produces the community-exploration feature, Culture Shot, for the In Our Back Yard news show. Her e-mail signature line reads, "She broke into song because she couldn't find the key."

Contributing Writer - Rebecca Malke-Eligenti
Becky, a true blue Wisconsinite, was born and raised in the backwoods of northeast Wisconsin near the UP....don'cha know eh? After high school she left to explore the northwest region of the state, and received her degree in Comparative Studies in World Religions from UW-Eau Claire. She subsequently moved to Madison to seek new adventures in the southern half of the state, later leaving the country altogether to do volunteer work in India. Becky has written for The Green Bay Press-Gazette, the Eau Claire Leader-Telegram, The Madison Insurgent, and The Wisconsinite. She is currently waiting for the Apocalypse, when Jesus will return to say "What the hell are you people doing in my name?!"

Contributing Writer - James Leaver
James is a writer and musician who has called Madison home since his graduation from college in the early go-go Nineties. He plays bass in local bands The New Recruits and The Runners-Up. When he's not mud-wrestling his muse, he is, as our conservative legislators would say, slopping at the state trough to make a dime. He is a former regular contributor to The Wisconsinite who has since plucked his nom de plume. His woefully maintained blog is Facacta.

Contributing Writer - Doug Griffin
Doug, born in Green Bay and a Madison resident since the mid Nineties, is a writer only after he's consumed a pint or two of quality beer. With degrees in political science and art, he's lucky to be employed.

Contributing Writer - Kendra Frank
In a word, vapid. In two words, really pretty. UW-Madison has been too kind, considering Kendra's nonchalant attitude toward obtaining her degree. Currently working as a fifth-year student on her "master's" (read: bachelor's) in English, her current interests involve lowering her blood pressure and painting watercolors of kitties in beautiful fields of daisies. She initiated the great comedic revival of 2005 by starting and performing in the Wisconsin Stand-Up Comedy Project. The WiSUC Project is really neat. Anyway, to enter the cave of bears, turn to page 67. To turn around and return to Gramma's house, turn to page 6.
pg. 67 Those weren't bears! Those were British people!
pg. 6 Since when did Gramma start looking so much like PatO'Brien?

Contributing Writer - Lisa Subeck
Lisa was born and raised in "The Chicago Area" as the suburbanites like to call it. She moved to Madison in 1989 to attend UW and never returned. After earning a valuable degree in Psychology, Lisa worked in childcare for several years before moving into a career in social services. She moved to the west side of Madison about 10 years ago and considers herself living proof that not everyone west of the Isthmus is a conservative yuppie-type. Lisa also writes her own blog Madison: Go West and Turn Left.


Contributing Writer - RPM (Ryan McNamara)
Ryan is a law student, sick of the rat race. He thinks Madison is a great place to study, let loose, y tocar la guitarra. He enjoys vicious satire and angry comedy as a verbal outlet. Ryan is from Michigan, specifically its lefty bastion Ann Arbor. He has also spent time in upstate NY, northern MI, and Europe. Ryan would like to see every corner of the globe eventually. Espresso gives him a reason to wake up. He likes movies to be clever or adventurous. He love a well written story, Victorian or modern. Ryan’s favorite music is good rock 'n' roll, but any interesting sounds or lyrics will do. Check out his procrastination at RPM (http://rpmcnamara.blogspot.com)


Contributing Writer - Jordan Cohen
Jordan has been a Madison resident since 1999. He got his English degree at the UW and managed to find work anyway. He plays drums in Mama Digdown's Brass Band, northern rock band The Optimistic , and the Kid Jordan Second-Line. Jordan is firmly convinced that Ian's has the greatest pizza on earth.


Contributing Writer - Mercy Greenwald
Mercy has lived in Madison for 4 years. This is a little astounding to her. Born in Boston, raised in Chicago, schooled in Iowa, marooned in Fargo and now in Madison, she has made a pretty exhaustive tour of the midwest. Currently, when not drinking, she goes to school, works at a local non-profit serving Madison families, pets many cats and eats french fries and cake. She also likes reading books and listening to old country records on her portable record player. She also enjoys rocking out.


Contributing Writer - Emily Mills
Emily came to Madison by way of Minnesota, Illinois and Oklahoma (which one of these is not like the other?), first to attend college and then because she was hooked. In addition to dane101, Emily writes for Isthmus Daily Page and her blog, thelostalbatross.blogspot.com. She is an active member of Wis-Kino, Mercury Players Theatre and plays drums/sings in local bands Aporia, the Buffali and A Catapult Western.



Contributing Writer - Dar Ward
Dar Ward is a bicycle advocate and professional transportation planner. Dar doesn't own a car, and bikes, walks, or buses most places. Dar has lived in Madison for 13 years and divides time between playing in local rock bands, writing, and doing shabby do-it-yourself projects.


Guest Contributor - Brenda Konkel
Brenda Konkel is the Alderperson for the Second District in Madison. Her personal and campaign website is at BrendaKonkel.org.


Contributing Cartoonist - Z. Pike
Z. Pike is the creator of the Fresh Fish cartoon.


Dane101 co-founder and former publisher Kristian Knutsen is currently writing at The Daily Page. Previous Contributing Writers include Rosemary, Brian, Rebecca Jamieson and Ryan Matteson.