Meet Our Team

Andy is the director and editor of Matter News. The former editor of Columbus Alive, he has also written for The New York Times, Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, Stereogum, Spin, and more.

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.

Jack Long is newsletter production editor at Fortune magazine, having previously worked at Dispatch magazines as an assistant digital editor and at WOSU Public Media as a podcast producer.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.