Stephanie Steinberg
Executive Director
Stephanie Steinberg is the founder and CEO of The Detroit Writing Room, which offers professional coaches, writing workshops, book talks and creative experiences. She launched the nonprofit arm Coaching Detroit Forward to provide coaching and mentorship for Detroit students. Stephanie has been a journalist for nearly 15 years and is a current contributing editor for U.S. News & World Report and USA Today. She previously served as the editor-in-chief of SEEN Magazine and as a features reporter at The Detroit News. She spent several years in Washington D.C. as a health and finance editor at U.S. News & World Report. Stephanie is a University of Michigan alum, where she majored in Communication Studies and was the editor-in-chief of The Michigan Daily student newspaper. She is the editor of the book “In the Name of Editorial Freedom: 125 Years at the Michigan Daily” published by the University of Michigan Press in 2015. Throughout her career, she's contributed to various publications, including The New York Times, The Boston Globe, CNN.com, The Huffington Post and several Detroit outlets. Photo by CDF photography student Peyton Taylor
Felecia Henderson
Board Member and Writing Coach
As assistant managing editor at The Detroit News, Felecia Henderson led a department of journalists responsible for cross-platform reporting of entertainment and lifestyle news. Henderson was hired at The News in 1989, working as a copy editor, page designer and section editor. In 1999, she joined the Detroit Free Press as an assistant features editor. Two years later, Henderson returned to The News as features editor. She was promoted to assistant managing editor in 2007 and worked in that role until 2019. Her career includes stints at the former Cincinnati Post and the Courier-Journal in Louisville, Kentucky. Her editing, design and leadership skills have been recognized by the Michigan APME, National Association of Black Journalists, Detroit Society of Professional Journalists, Michigan Press Association and the Society of News Design. She also has served as a two-time Pulitzer Prize nominating juror. The Louisville native earned a bachelor's degree in Radio-TV and Journalism from Murray State University and a master’s degree in Organization Development from Bowling Green State University. The veteran journalist now is a diversity consultant and Table Stakes Coordinator for the California-based Maynard Institute for Journalism Education.
Walter Middlebrook
Board Member and Writing Coach
Walter Middlebrook is a lifelong journalist who returned to Detroit in 2007 to rejoin The Detroit News where he would rise to the role of assistant managing editor overseeing the metro desk and the investigations team. He left the News in January 2018 and spent the fall 2018 as a “journalist in residence” at The Pennsylvania State University where he taught a course on media ethics. Among his accomplishments, Middlebrook has published opinion and special sections at several publications working with a variety of local and national writers. A senior editor and newsroom manager, he also edited and worked with freelance and staff writers in the features, fashion, entertainment, news and business sections of such publications as The New York Times, Newsday/New York Newsday, USA Today and the St. Paul Dispatch and Pioneer Press. He is well known as a hiring editor who has helped many journalists through his extensive network of career contacts. He has won numerous awards and was cited for lifetime achievement by the Detroit chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists and the college of his alma mater, Boston University. A native of Memphis, Tennessee, he is an Eagle Scout.
Jake Serwer
Board Member
Jake Serwer is the founder and CEO of Espresso Public Relations LLC, a leading Detroit-based PR and marketing firm specializing in communication services to Michigan's most innovative companies and entrepreneurs. Jake is also the co-founder and president of The Detroit Writing Room. Jake's career started in the TV industry. After getting a master’s in sports business from Georgetown University, he was a television producer for Bloomberg News and produced the network’s 2011 NFL lockout coverage as well as exclusive features with members of the United States Congress. He later leveraged those skills as a television producer as the primary communications representative for Chris Wallace, the on-air host of Fox News Sunday, where he assisted in the production of the weekly Sunday morning show as well as coverage of the 2012 presidential campaign. Jake then served as the business development executive at the National Press Club in D.C., where he managed its in-house broadcast studio and organized events for Fortune 500 CEOs, political candidates, authors, influencers and celebrities.
Bill Vlasic
Board Member and Writing Coach
Bill Vlasic is a Detroit journalist whose love of newspaper reporting took him from a small Boston weekly to a decade as the Detroit bureau chief of The New York Times. At the Times, he wrote dozens of page one stories and led the paper’s coverage of the American auto industry through a period of bankruptcies, government bailouts and deadly safety problems. In 2013, he was on the Times team that won the Pulitzer Prize for Explanatory Reporting for a series on high-tech global manufacturing. Before joining the Times, Bill spent 17 years as a reporter for The Detroit News, where he covered city hall, Michigan business and the ever-changing fortunes of the Big Three automakers. His investigative work and feature writing earned multiple awards for the paper, including the Gerald Loeb award for excellence in financial journalism. He also has worked for Business Week magazine and newspapers in New York and Massachusetts, and written two acclaimed books — “Taken For a Ride,” a national bestseller about the ill-fated merger of Daimler-Benz and Chrysler, and “Once Upon A Car,” a Michigan Notable Book recounting the epic collapse and comeback of Detroit’s car companies.
Danielle Alexander
Writing Coach
Danielle Alexander has been helping high school students write their best college application essays for over a decade. A two-time graduate of Michigan State University, she taught high school English and journalism and college composition for seven years. She currently spends her academic semesters as a doctoral student and research assistant at Oakland University and her summer months as a freelance journalist for a number of Metro Detroit publications. Danielle leads our College Application Essay Writing Workshop.
Rasha Almulaiki
Writing Coach
Rasha Almulaiki covers politics, community policy, and business in Detroit, Michigan as the multimedia journalist at the Michigan Chronicle. She is a second generation Yemeniya living in the Detroit diaspora. Prior to joining the Michigan Chronicle, Almulaiki worked as a freelance journalist for The Arab American News, Outlier Media, and Metro Times Detroit, reporting on such diverse community issues as local campaigns and elections, art and culture, community politics, public city meetings, and on building developments, using data-driven research. Her journalism aspirations stem from a decade of work in community-advocacy organizations including global diplomacy, education, criminal justice, and restorative community safety. These experiences on the ground, among others, inspired her to write stories of marginalized and underrepresented communities of color. She holds a bachelor’s degree in English literature and gender, sexuality, and women’s studies from Wayne State University.
Krishnan Anantharaman
Grammar Coach
Krishnan Anantharaman is an editing specialist with more than 30 years of experience in the news industry. He spent most of his career at The Wall Street Journal, where he was a copy editor, slot editor and assistant foreign editor. After arriving in Detroit in 2000, he managed The Wall Street Journal Classroom Edition, the Journal’s award-winning educational publication for high schools, and later directed coverage of Detroit and Michigan. He has also worked as an editor for the fact-checking organization PolitiFact and for Automotive News, where he steered the paper’s prize-winning coverage of the General Motors ignition-switch crisis and helped forge a partnership to sustain scholastic journalism in Detroit. He is currently a story editor for the education news site Chalkbeat. Krishnan has a journalism degree from Northwestern and a master’s in strategic communication from Michigan State. He enjoys cycling and loves the smell of newspaper ink in the morning.
Laura Berman
Column Writing Coach
Laura Berman is a journalist with a lifetime of professional writing experience and a passion for seeing what’s next. As a three-times-a-week columnist for the Detroit News, she earned a reputation for insightful storytelling and an ability to turn mundane first drafts into pointed prose. Her full-length features have appeared in many national publications, including Newsweek, Time, Parenting and Glamour. While her career has taken her from Bosnia to Moscow to London and Palm Beach, she’s learned there’s no place like home. Now working on a book about the transformation of a single square mile in Detroit, Laura lives with her columnist/editor husband, their daughter Lina and a small-but-mighty goldendoodle.
Tyrell Boydston
Photography Coach
Tyrell Boydston is a published documentary and lifestyle photographer, offering services in events and portraiture. He began with architectural and cityscape photography, and his work is available as fine art prints. Tyrell’s primary profession is clinical social work, having worked previously as a clinical therapist and now long-term support services care coordinator. He is a proud husband, father and friend to his loved ones.
Marcel Brown
Photography Coach
Marcel Brown is a Metro Detroit-based freelance photographer born and raised in Los Angeles, California. He is also a United States Air Force veteran. After serving his country he moved to his wife's hometown of Detroit in 1997. A father of three, he was always taking photos, mostly of his family on vacations. A self-taught photographer, he began taking his photography seriously in 2014. His photography style can be described as natural/documentary and he specializes in portraits, landscapes and fashion. His work has been featured in local art exhibits and fashion shows. He has worked as a mentor in the Read To A Child program for the Detroit public school system. He loves sports, old-school hip hop and reading. Because of his love for photography, kids and young adults, becoming a coach is a dream come true. His ultimate goal is to be a full-time photographer with his own studio and have a photography program for underprivileged kids in Detroit.
Anna Clark
Writing Coach
Anna Clark is a journalist in Detroit who is driven by curiosity and enthusiasm for good, true stories. She’s the author of “The Poisoned City: Flint’s Water and the American Urban Tragedy,” named one of best books of the year by the Washington Post, San Francisco Chronicle, Amazon, New York Public Library, and others. Her articles have appeared in Elle, The New York Times, Politico, Columbia Journalism Review, Next City and more. She edited “A Detroit Anthology” and wrote a book about the distinctive literary culture of the Great Lakes State. She's been a Knight-Wallace journalism fellow at the University of Michigan. But for all her love of nonfiction, Anna also has roots in fiction and literature. She was a Fulbright fellow in creative writing in Kenya and she has an MFA in fiction from Warren Wilson College. She's a contributing editor for the literary journal “Waxwing” and she co-curates the Motor Signal Reading Series. She's also been a writer-in-residence in Detroit high schools through InsideOut Literary Arts and the longtime co-leader of an improv theater workshop at a men's prison. Besides writing and reading, Anna loves running, hiking, cheering for Michigan and Detroit sports, and playing games with her amazing nieces and nephews.
James Edwards III
Sports Writing Coach
James Edwards III is a beat reporter covering the Detroit Pistons for The Athletic, a position he has held since 2017. Prior to joining The Athletic, James worked at the Lansing State Journal covering high school and Michigan State sports. James graduated from Michigan State University in 2014 and is from Flint, Michigan.
Dorothy Hernandez
Food Writing Coach
Dorothy Hernandez is a Chicago native who moved to Detroit for a boy. The boy is gone, but everything worked out because Dorothy found new loves, including a new boy and the city itself. She's wanted to be a journalist since she was in third grade and has worked at newspapers, including The Detroit News and Chicago Tribune's RedEye edition, as well as magazines, including SEEN Magazine where she is a copy editor. Dorothy is the managing editor of Model D and associate editorial director of Issue Media Group. She also freelances for a variety of publications including NPR, Midwest Living magazine, Thrillist and Eater. In 2018, she was named one of four fellows in WDET and Feet in 2 World's food journalism fellowship where she told the stories of immigrant chefs and communities of color through the lens of food. When she's not writing, you can find her doing Filipino pop-up dinners around town, binge-watching TV shows (her favorites include "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "Game of Thrones") and checking out new restaurants.
Sylvia Jarrus
Photography Coach
Sylvia Jarrus is a freelance photojournalist based in Metro Detroit. She's also a current senior at Michigan State University majoring in journalism with a concentration in visual communication. The many valuable experiences she's had working alongside dedicated reporters and photographers has pushed her to explore her passion for storytelling. She feels it's an honor to help tell people's stories, because everyone has a story that deserves to be heard. Her clients include: The New York Times, TIME Magazine, Education Week, NBC, Reuters, The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, Rolling Stone, Vanity Fair and more.
Carl Jones II
Photography Coach
For the past 14 years, Carl Jones II's journey in photography has been one of growth, transformation and relentless passion. His career began in wedding, portrait and event photography, where he honed his skills capturing candid moments of people's most cherished occasions. He transitioned into freelance sports photography.
This new direction challenged him to adapt his skills to the fast-paced and unpredictable nature of sports. Capturing the peak moments of athletic prowess, the intensity of competition, and the raw emotions of athletes and fans alike required a new level of precision and quick reflexes.
Throughout his career, he has remained committed to continuous learning and adaptation, embracing new technologies and techniques to enhance his craft. He's been fortunate to work within the spaces of MLB, NFL, Indycar, PGA and NCAA athletics.
Carl is a veteran of the U.S. Army and a current Department of Defense civilian employee. Carl is married with two high school boys.
Erin Kirkland
Photography Coach
Erin is a photographer and writer and a born and raised Michigander. She graduated from the University of Michigan where she studied English and creative writing, but learned how to be a photojournalist at the student-run Michigan Daily. Before joining the University of Michigan photography staff, Erin worked as a newspaper photographer — although her love for photography stretches beyond journalism. As a freelancer she’s worked for organizations such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, TIME, ESPN and Rolling Stone. If she’s not working, she’s probably baking, falling asleep on the couch by 9 p.m. or working in her cut flower garden.
Derrick Martinez
Photography Coach
Derrick Martinez is a multimedia content creator and consultant based in Detroit. He has worked professionally in photojournalism, traditional film and local news television during his time as a student at Madonna University and after. Working with people throughout his life has inspired the belief of the “human moment,” that within every second there is a story worthy of being told. Taking what he has learned after working with local publications such as SEEN Magazine and Detroit Jewish News, as well as his extensive experience working in film and television, Derrick founded 2U Media Productions in 2020. 2U Media holds the belief in those human moments and is the driving force behind the content that is created for you, for what it means to you. He plans to create a nonprofit that is an affordable alternative for local small businesses to advertise professionally while continuing to focus on surviving the Covid-19 pandemic.
Justin Milhouse
Photography Coach
Detroit born and raised me, so it's only right that I give back to the city that made me. Being exposed to many different mediums of art at a young age fueled the inspiration to get into photography and videography while attending college as a business major. What started as a hobby and creative outlet transformed into a passion to create and document the world around me. I started Fresh-Cool-Dope back in 2009 while in college which has been the platform for my creative work, until now. JMILHOUSE is more personal to me and concentrates on my work, documenting my creative process, and fulfilling my dream of having my own photography studio/gallery.
Sacred Overstreet-Amos
Photography Coach
Sacred Overstreet-Amos is a Metro Detroit-based photographer who’s been capturing people and events for nearly a decade. She’s passionate about her craft and loves to take photos that inspire people young and old. Sacred graduated from the University of Michigan with a degree in communications. She is also a United States Air Force Veteran. After the Air Force, she decided to pursue her passion and founded Moon Reflections Photography — a full-service photography company that specializes in high school senior portraits, business headshots as well as commercial and freelance photography. Sacred’s work has been featured in online and print publications, including SEEN Magazine, The Michigan Chronicle, The Huffington Post, Ebony.com and Rolling Out Magazine, among others. Sacred offers workshops on digital photography and camera basics, where students learn everything from understanding shutter speed to ISO. When she’s not shooting photos, she’s at home with her family, striving to create some amazing little humans who follow their passion.
Omari Sankofa II
Sports Writing Coach
Omari Sankofa II is a native Detroiter who has been the Pistons beat writer for the Detroit Free Press since April 2020. Prior to joining the Free Press, he covered the Memphis Grizzlies for The Athletic and Robert Morris basketball and general sports assignments for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Sankofa graduated from Michigan State in 2016, where he cut his teeth with The State News as a sports editor and men's basketball writer, among many other roles. He's a Renaissance High School alum and product of the Detroit Free Press High School Journalism Program.
Kat Stafford
Writing Coach
Kat Stafford is a national investigative writer and global investigations correspondent at The Associated Press, where she investigates how structural racism has fueled inequity in America. Prior to joining the AP, Stafford was an investigative reporter at the Detroit Free Press. Her reporting has prompted city legislation, policy changes, congressional reviews and federal and state criminal investigations. Stafford is a Board of Director for the Investigative Reporters and Editors, the industry's leading nonprofit organization focused on investigative journalism. She is also the chair of IRE's Member Services Committee and deputy chair of the National Association of Black Journalists' Print Task Force. Stafford has received several awards for her work. She was named a 2019 Ida B. Wells Investigative Fellow and received the Society of Professional Journalists’ 2017 Young Journalist of the Year Award by its Detroit chapter. Stafford attended Eastern Michigan University and serves as a board member for the university’s student newspaper, The Eastern Echo. She is also a journalism trainer and has led several trainings and panels for the Ida B. Wells Society, the Poynter Institute, the Maynard Institute and colleges and universities nationwide, including Amherst College, Cornell University, and the University of Michigan. She's also been featured internationally by the U.S. Embassy Paris, France, the Global Investigative Journalism Network and the International Center for Journalists. Stafford, a Detroit native, is a fierce advocate for newsroom representation and ensuring opportunities for journalists of color.
AJ Williams
Writing Coach
AJ Williams is a media personality and author with experience in print, radio and television. She is the Managing Editor for the Michigan Chronicle and social plug on Live In The D! “What’s Happening Around The D! Her lifestyle brands CHICKDOM and SingleBlackCHICK.com focus on CHICK power and inspiration. She is also a motivational speaker and writer on topics of personal development and self-love. Through these platforms, AJ shares her candid take on relationships, life, love and spiritual wellness using her own experiences as a catalyst to empower women to embrace their skin. Prior to her current endeavors in media, she pursued a career in finance as a personal investment banker. She has served with several nonprofit organizations, including The Young Bankers Club and Chairperson for the UFSC Urban Bankers Annual Scholarship Gala. AJ has previously served on the American Heart Association's Young Professionals Board as Communications Chair. Her achievements have been recognized by the Michigan FrontPAGE as an FP Thirty Honoree, which highlights rising young professionals under 40 and as an Honoree in Who's Who of Black Detroit.
Jeff Waraniak
Feature Writing Coach
Jeff Waraniak is a writer and editor in Detroit who specializes in magazines and web writing. After graduating with an English/creative writing major at the University of Michigan, he spent several years as an associate editor at Hour Detroit magazine and 5280 magazine in Denver, Colorado. In addition to magazines, he’s also contributed to book projects for National Geographic, anthologies like The Detroit Neighborhood Guidebook, and websites like Thrillist and Model D media. He's currently a communications officer at the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan where he writes about the organization's grantmaking activities benefiting education, arts and culture, health, human services, community development and civic affairs. He’s won several awards for his feature stories and more from the Society of Professional Journalists of Detroit. When not in front of a computer, he likes cycling, mountain biking, swimming and donuts. The first three things are mostly just excuses for donuts.