Jennifer Tripucka
Jen is the founder of The Local Girl Media Group. Before her media career started at Conde Nast and then full-time at TLG, she worked as a public school educator in New Jersey for 5 years. Jen started hyperlocal sites to discover the amazing things happening in the New Jersey area and to highlight local businesses through the eyes of locals. When not shopping small or eating her way through New Jersey, she can usually be found walking her two pups, watching Bravo TV, and ordering takeout with her husband.
Joelle Hernandez
Joelle Hernandez is the Director of Marketing at The Local Girl Media and a 2014 honors graduate of Loyola University Maryland, where she earned her B.A. in Journalism and Advertising. A Jersey Shore native, Joelle has a lifelong love for the beach, boardwalk, and all things sunshine. oelle is passionate about sharing the stories of and supporting small businesses. Outside of work, she enjoys baking, discovering new spots to eat, and trying out new fitness classes.
Jordan Hernandez
Jordan Hernandez is a contributor to all brands under The Local Girl Media. Her love for writing and covering small businesses started upon her graduation from Loyola University Maryland where she earned a B.A. in Journalism and Advertising. When asked where she is from, she is proud to proclaim the Jersey Shore as home. Growing up in Hazlet, she has a love for a good beach day, boardwalk treat, and arguing if central Jersey exists. In her free time, Jordan loves to read, bake, and try the latest workout trend.
Amber Veltri
Amber, JSG’s Social Media Manager, has been living in New Jersey her whole life — and loves taking trips down to the Jersey Shore whenever she can. Amber is an Art Director for Broadway Dance Center in NYC, a graphic designer, social media guru, photographer, influencer (@Hoboken_Love), and a mom to her favorite muse, Brooks. When she’s not working you can find her at concerts, visiting restaurants and galleries, drinking coffee, and supporting local businesses in the Jersey Shore’s vibrant community.
Samantha Impaglia
Samantha is JSG‘s Associate Editor and a Montclair State graduate, where she studied television, digital media, + sports journalism. She loves sharing her view of the world through her writing, and has covered everything from professional ice hockey and volleyball to travel destinations and new restaurants. She has been a New Jersey resident her whole life, and spent her summers at the Jersey Shore growing up. You can find her searching for local coffee shops, places to shop for clothes and new plants, watching hockey, or planning her next Disney World trip.
Danielle Farina
Danielle is a graduate from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she studied English and philosophy. Originally hailing from Roseland, NJ, spending four years in the midwest confirmed what she already knew to be true: there’s no place like home. Danielle is excited to use her love for writing to explore Jersey’s many local legends, both old and new. When she’s not writing, you can find her listening to Taylor Swift, quoting New Girl, or continuing her hunt for the best iced latte.
Jessica Norton
From spending a summer on the Vans Warped Tour making digital content to interviewing talent on red carpets, Jessica Norton’s career as a photojournalist, entertainment reporter, and fan engagement specialist has taken her many places. But her favorite place is right at home at the Jersey Shore in Asbury Park, where you can catch her soaking up the sun in her beach chair or taking photos at a concert. Jessica graduated from Marymount Manhattan College with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Arts and The New School with a masters degree in Media Management.
Jenna Giustino
Jenna relocated to Asbury Park in 2022 and instantly felt at home in this “city by the sea.” When she isn’t teaching language arts to middle schoolers, you can find her reading at a local coffee shop or spending too much money at her favorite Asbury boutiques. Her ideal day starts with yoga and includes searching for new plants to fill her beach home, seeking out live music in the Jersey Shore area, and her favorite activity: sunbathing on the beach during her summers off.
Dr. Thea Zunick
Dr. Thea Zunick is a Jersey Shore resident who is also a captivating speaker, social impact advocate, wellness guru, rescue dog mom, and “fitness foodies gal” committed to helping people thrive. Her love affair with food began in childhood experimenting in the kitchen, delighting in the joy her creations brought to others. Her adventurous spirit and appreciation for diverse flavors drive her exploration of new restaurants, where she finds inspiration and connection. With an innate curiosity and a discerning palate, Thea is always on the hunt for the next culinary gem or hot new business in the Jersey Shore area.
Sarah Griesbach
Sarah Hermes Griesbach is a museum educator and culture writer who loves traveling to the Jersey Shore. JSG gives Griesbach an excellent excuse to ask questions and seek answers from the countless creative movers, shakers, and thinkers who populate our vibrant region. She’s ever on the lookout for stories about nature, city-living, and people pushing up toward a better world.
Lauren Rivera
Lauren is a Jersey Girl through and through. She has degree in English and Political Science from Montclair State University. Aside from her journalistic pursuits, Lauren is a fiction author and a photographer. When she’s not writing, you can find her visiting various local businesses, scouting through local thrift stores, and reading her book of the month.
Erin Lanahan
Erin is a Jersey girl, originally from Mendham. She’s back in the Garden State after graduating from St. Bonaventure University with a journalism degree. Formerly a news producer, she now works in social media. When she’s not writing, she loves running along the water at Liberty State Park, eating at different restaurants with friends, and checking out local bands performing around the Tri-state area. Three things Erin’s always ready to chat about: where to get the best Taylor Ham, the Yankees, and finding the perfect pint of Guinness.
Eliot Hudson
Eliot is a proud father of two. He graduated from the University of Edinburgh, Scotland, with master’s degrees in Modern Literature and Creative Writing. His short stories and poems have appeared in a variety of literary journals and online magazines. You can find Eliot around town playing guitar and drums at open mic nights or with various bands. Check out his music, fiction, and poetry at www.EliotHudson.com or on Instagram @EliotHudson.
Stephanie Spear
Stephanie Spear is the Deputy Editor for The Local Girl Media Group. She is a born-and-raised Beltway insider, and life brought her to New Jersey. She started working with the team as a freelance copy editor, started writing more, and learned that New Jersey does, in fact, have the best pizza and bagels in all the land. When she and her husband moved back to the DC area, she brought TLG along and is working on The Fairfax Girl, TLG's first licensee. Stephanie has a background in public policy, working for nearly 20 years in and around the federal government and is a licensed attorney. She has an undergraduate degree in journalism from the University of Richmond and a juris doctorate from the Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law.
Satya Devi Singh
Satya Devi Singh is a fourth grader and an Asbury Park enthusiast who spends her Asbury summers drumming at Lakehouse Music Academy, volunteering at Asbury Book Cooperative, and riding her bike to the beach. She loves reading, writing, corgis, and candy stores.