Executive Editor & Co-Founder

Donna McKenna
donna (at) gooutjersey.com

Born in a Jersey town with more corpses than living people, Donna moved to NYC in 1999 as a student of journalism, swearing never to return. But she has suddenly found herself back in the Garden State. Despite memories of polluted rivers, confusing highways and enormous parking lots, Donna is hopeful that metropolitan Jersey has more to offer than its proximity to NYC. In particular, her hatred of cooking and love of socializing, feeds (ahem) her desire to seek out Jersey’s dining wonders. So, with the raised eyebrow of a New Yorker and the chin-up attitude of a Jersey Girl, Donna is taking her nine years as a reporter/researcher/news editor to discover those hidden Jersey gems – as soon as she can learn to like driving. Yes, despite our content, we have pretty high standards for grammar, punctuation and sntax. Oops, I mean syntax.

Managing Editor & Co-Founder

Ali Hanford
ali (at) gooutjersey.com

Ali has written for bad magazines, copy-edited a failed website, and is currently employed as an associate producer for a cable network she’d rather not name for fear they will fire her for spending company time and resources working on this blog. Lazy and unmotivated, she only began work on this site in hopes that it will some day allow her to live her dream of becoming an enormous sell-out with an all-musical house staff – yes, this includes a tap-dancing helper monkey.

Associate Editor

Nicole Little

Nicole was born and raised in North Jersey and thus has an innate passion for food, culture, and admitted ethnocentrism. She is a Nutley native and recent Weehawken transplant, who works in Manhattan and keeps busy by waitressing part-time. She invites you, her fellow Jerseyite, to explore the diverse microcosm that is our home, thus arming yourself further in the debate against the sadly ignorant outsiders who mock us. And to her day job co-workers who live in Brooklyn, she has this to say: “Actually, my commute is shorter than yours. Ha!”

Retired (party-pooping) Staffers:

Assistant Editor

Alex Simon
alexs (at) gooutjersey.com

Alex has an admittedly complex relationship with New Jersey, being the only non-Jerseyite staffer of GoOutJersey.com, thus making him “the one who is never spoken of.” Nevertheless, he has reverse-commuted from Manhattan to work at Jersey-based cable television networks at two separate times in his life, been thrown out of Hoboken’s famous Black Bear for being “too drunk”, and has many friends, well-wishers, relatives, co-workers, and ex-friends currently residing in the Garden State. So we think his credentials are pretty impeccable. When not finding couches to crash on in Jersey, he bides his time in New York City.

Staff Writer (Hoboken Division)

John Busco (forever anonymous)

Our mysterious Hoboken correspondent – an author, researcher, journalist and pundit - is far too famous to associate with GoOutJersey’s relatively unknown rabble writers. Hailing from the mountainous countryside of New York State, this Jersey transplant likes staying in shape with dancing and bar-hopping. He loves home-cooked meals, hanging out with friends, and karaoke night. If during your next trip to Bahama Mama’s you find a tall, charming Italian, whose breath smells of orange-kiwi Trident, it just might be – John Busco.

Correspondents & Review Duo (Hoboken & Weehawken Division)

Steve Lawrence

Steve grew up in the Philadelphia area, where he started his career as a sports writer. After making the transition to television production, he eventually abandoned his daily odyssey into Manhattan, by way of SEPTA and NJ Transit, and relocated to Hoboken. Steve has learned to love this city of Sinatra, as well as many other NJ locations (read: his girlfriend’s Weehawken apartment and Jersey Gardens). He credits the Hoboken nightlife and restaurant scene for welcoming him so kindly to the area. Steve’s girlfriend, a fellow Jersey transplant, will also be contributing reviews of their dates (read: criticizing and rewriting) via their Both Sides of the Table column. (We’ll see how often he takes her out by how frequent those columns are!) And by the way, Steve is an avid Philly sports fan. E-A-G-L-E-S, EAGLES!!!!!

Maleka C.

Maleka, a Southern Belle, comes to the Garden State by way of small-town North Carolina and our nation’s capital, Washington, DC. She contributes to our Both Sides of the Table column, to make sure Steve doesn’t inaccurately gloat about their dates. Of course, this Prep School Reject also ventures out on her own. She loves hanging out w/ her beau, reading, knitting, listening to live music, cooking and other grandmotherly activities. But don’t be fooled by the senior pasttimes. Maleka enjoys a nice cocktail (or more) and prides herself on knowing the newest, best place to get a fab meal. She is also an avid reality television fan. A-N-T-M, Top Model!!

Writer

Melissa H.
Melissa has lived in Hudson County for 16 years. She is passionate about issues of faith and social justice, politics, and creative wholesome vegetarian cooking. Her future fiance, Chris, and her teen-age daughter, Cassie, never tire of her strong opinions, but are happy she has an opportunity to share them with others through her writing.

Current & Previous (aka delinquent) Contributors:

e.clare
Jimi
Angie Leadfoot
Michele Santo
Johnny Strongarms
Angelito Yambao, Jr.