Karen Melissa Garcia

Since breaking into the communications world, Karen Garcia has several years under her belt as a creative writer, reporter, researcher, and interviewer.

She got her start at storytelling through an independently owned and operated news weekly, New Times SLO, in San Luis Obispo, with a circulation of 35,000 residents in the county. Every week

Karen is tasked with finding newsworthy issues to cover, ranging from local government to national issues at the local level, human interest pieces, features, and film reviews.

Reporting, Karen says, comes naturally to her because she loves engaging in conversation and learning from everyone from regular people to experts in a specific field. Journalism also gives her a great sense of fulfillment, especially when she’s able to give a voice to underserved and underrepresented communities through her reporting.

Her articles on social justice issues have been recognized by the California News Publishers Association. She was also awarded fourth place in the coverage of youth and education category for her article “A Campus Divided”.

Karen’s experience extends to broadcast communications—she has written, produced, and voiced news pieces for local NPR affiliate KCBX.

In her free time, Karen can be found enjoying the natural sites of the Central Coast and Northern California, either on hiking trails or just setting up her hammock to read among the trees.