STAFF
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Andy Downing (He / Him)
Director, Editor
Andy is the former editor of Columbus Alive and has written for The New York Times, Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, Stereogum, Spin and more. Prior to joining Matter, he was the Associate Editorial Director for The Coda Collection. He lives in Columbus with his wife, two daughters and his dog Ben, who is a very good boy.
BOARD MEMBERS
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Cassie Young (She / Her)
Board Chair, Managing Director, Co-Founder
Cassie Young is one of our co-founders and managing directors of GMM. She lives in Harrison West and graduated from Ohio State University with master’s degrees in social work and public policy. Previously, she ran research trials to improve government programs to work better for citizens. Now, she is a managing director at Grey Matter Media and the engagement coordinator for Matter News. She co-founded GMM due to a deep desire to improve the lives of all people and a strong belief that that cannot happen until people are empowered to better understand and be active in their communities through good information, stories, and thoughtful discussion on local issues. She recently co-founded a multimedia arts festival called Cloud City.
![](https://cdn.statically.io/img/matternews.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Ruthie_Warshenbrot-300x300.jpg)
Ruthie Warshenbrot (She / Her)
Vice Chair
Ruthie Warshenbrot is the vice board chair for Grey Matter Media, Matter News’ nonprofit parent organization. She has been in Columbus and a resident of German Village since 2012. Professionally, she does leadership development training for Jewish professionals across North America at The Wexner Foundation, where she also cofounded its Columbus-based teen service-learning program. Ruthie grew up in Charlotte, NC and graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a B.A. in Psychology and a minor in Jewish Studies; she also wrote for The Daily Tar Heel, the campus newspaper, while an undergraduate student. She received her Masters in Public Administration (MPA) from the Robert F. Wagner School of Public Service at NYU and her MA in Hebrew and Judaic Studies through the NYU Wagner/Skirball dual degree program as a Wexner Graduate Fellow/Davidson Scholar and a Lisa Goldberg Fellow in Jewish Professional Leadership. A fierce feminist, Ruthie is passionate about journalism, swimming, ice cream and effective nonprofit management.
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Jack Long (He / Him)
Secretary
Jack Long is a newsletter producer for Fortune magazine, having previously worked at Dispatch magazines as an assistant digital editor and at WOSU Public Media as a podcast producer.
![](https://cdn.statically.io/img/matternews.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Carolina_IMG_7065-300x300.jpg)
Carolina Mercado Foresman (She / Hers)
Board Member
Carolina is a data scientist who has lived in Columbus since 2009. She has a BA in finance from the University of Notre Dame and an MA in political science from the Ohio State University. She is a resident of Italian Village and is on the board of the Italian Village Society where her focus is community reform in how we approach safety in the Short North. Carolina is also an active member of the Notre Dame Club of Columbus, the Hispanic Alumni of Notre Dame, and Columbus Predictive Modelers, and has worked to raise money for abortion and immigrants.
![](https://cdn.statically.io/img/matternews.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Lisa_Headshot-300x300.jpg)
Ash Steward (They / Them)
Board Member
Lisa Steward is the Global Head of Marketing for ZHEN., an art tech company that focuses on art ownership authentication. They have spent nearly two decades serving the Columbus arts community in various ways, from studying art at The Ohio State University to holding studio space at Junctionview Studios, to working at Columbus College of Art & Design, and to volunteering at 934 Gallery. They have previously served on the board of Columbus SOUP and currently, they serve on the board of 934 Gallery.
![](https://cdn.statically.io/img/matternews.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Bryan-20211005_202356__1-300x300.jpg)
Bryan Lutz (He / Him, They / Them)
Board Member
Bryan A. Lutz is an Assistant Professor of Rhetoric, Composition, and Professional Communication at Ohio Northern University. His research interests are technology, activism, advocacy, and composition pedagogy, and his published scholarship appears in Computers and Composition Online and The Journal of Critical Thought and Praxis. Dr. Lutz joined Grey Matter Media in 2021 out of an appreciation for its quality journalism. Though he acts as a participant in activism and advocacy across the country, Columbus is home where he serves as a communication consultant.
COFOUNDERS
![](https://cdn.statically.io/img/matternews.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Cassie-IMG_3640-300x300.png)
Cassie Young (She / Her)
Board Chair, Managing Director, Co-Founder
Cassie Young is one of our co-founders and managing directors of GMM. She lives in Harrison West and graduated from Ohio State University with master’s degrees in social work and public policy. Previously, she ran research trials to improve government programs to work better for citizens. Now, she is a managing director at Grey Matter Media and the engagement coordinator for Matter News. She co-founded GMM due to a deep desire to improve the lives of all people and a strong belief that that cannot happen until people are empowered to better understand and be active in their communities through good information, stories, and thoughtful discussion on local issues. She recently co-founded a multimedia arts festival called Cloud City.
![](https://cdn.statically.io/img/matternews.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/Jaelynn-headshot-300x300.jpg)
Jaelynn Grisso (She / Her)
Interim Editor, Co-Founder
Jaelynn is one of Grey Matter Media and Matter News’ cofounders. She formerly served as the editor-in-chief for Matter and managing director of parent company GMM, and is now a volunteer contributor for Matter’s DevelopUS investigation. Jaelynn has worked for Mother Jones Magazine, Honolulu Civil Beat, and other news publications over the last decade.
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Marisa Twigg (She / Her)
Co-Founder
Marisa Twigg is the co-founder and managing editor of Matter News. For more than six years, she has created impactful visual media content professionally in both the public and private sectors. With an emphasis on photojournalism, Marisa weaves still visuals with written narratives to immerse readers in the stories she produces. She graduated from Ohio State University with a B.S. in environmental policy and decision making, focusing on journalism, environmental and social justice. Outside of work, Marisa is an avid outdoor adventurer and nature enthusiast. She lives in Hilltop, and enjoys biking the Olentangy Trail, hiking Zaleski State Forest or kayaking Ohio’s beautiful lakes and scenic rivers.