About the Editorial Board
Brie Haro, Editor-In-Chief
Brie Haro, senior communication major, is this years’ editor-in-chief. She is from Salt Lake City, UT, known for its mountains and variations of fry sauce.
She has been working for The Beacon for 3 ½ years first as a reporter then working her way up to serve as last year's community engagement editor.
Seeing how student journalists often act as the historians of their institutions — covering both the good and bad aspects of college life — The Beacon has always been something Brie has been passionate about contributing to since freshman year.
When not in the classroom or the newsroom, you can find Brie sifting through any second-hand store, listening to vinyls or painting her friends' nails.
She can be found on Instagram @briennaharo.
Kate Cuadrado, News & Managing Editor
Kate Cuadrado is a junior English major and Psychology minor from Thousand Oaks, California. She is this year’s News and Managing Editor.
This is Kate’s third year working for The Beacon, having joined staff spring semester her Freshman year as a reporter. Originally signing on staff to work on her writing skills, Kate fell in love with journalism and decided to pursue an editing role entering her second year on staff.
When not reading, writing, or doing other various English major-y things, Kate can be found obsessively decorating her journal, refurbishing furniture, or plotting ways to steal her cat away from her parent’s home in California.
She can be found on Instagram at @katecuadrad.
Lulu Heffernan, Living Section Editor
Lulu Heffernan is a senior Psychology and French major with a music minor. Joining The Beacon as a reporter her sophomore year, she is this year’s Living Section Editor.
Lulu joined The Beacon in order to feel more connected to the UP community. The Beacon has allowed her to feel more informed about what is going on around campus as well as help her feel connected to her fellow Beacon reporters and editors.
When not studying or working for The Beacon, Lulu can be found cheering her friends on at the Beauchamp rock wall or talking about her experiences studying abroad in Nantes, France.
She can be found on Instagram at @lulubell_42.
Chiara Profenna, DEI Editor
Chiara Profenna is a senior English major with computer science and education minors from San Antonio, Texas. She is taking on the role of first DEI Editor for The Beacon.
This is Chiara’s second year writing for The Beacon, and her first year on the editorial board. Her passion for writing is the reason she joined, but she has found a new love for journalism while working alongside other aspiring writers.
When she’s not catching up on her homework, she can be found spending time out with friends, working out at Beauchamp, or reading a book at a nearby park.
She can be found on Instagram @chiara.prof.
Wilder Isom, Sports Section Editor
Wilder Isom is a senior Sociology major with a criminology concentration. She’s from Leadville, Colorado. She is the sports editor this year.
Wilder started working for the Beacon in October of 2021 as a sports reporter. Wilder is super excited to be on the ed-board this year as it is a great community of people who are passionate about what they do. She joined the Beacon to combine her love of sports and journalism.
When she’s not watching the Pilots compete she can be found reading, playing soccer, and watching movies.
She can be found on Instagram at @wilder01isom.
Michael Lang, Opinions & Faith Editor
Michael Lang is a junior mechanical engineering major from Beaverton, Oregon.
Michael began working for The Beacon as a news reporter during the spring semester of his freshman year. He continued his position as a reporter for the fall of his sophomore year before studying abroad in Salzburg, Austria for the spring. He will now be returning as this year’s opinions editor.
He originally joined The Beacon to focus on his writing skills given the dominance of math in many of his engineering courses.
Outside of his busy schedule, Michael enjoys jerry rigging his twenty-year-old beater of a car. He also loves to play basketball and go on runs.
He can be found on Instagram @michael_lang01.
Emma Sells, Multimedia Editor
Emma Sells is a senior political science major with minors in Spanish and social justice. She is from San Jose, California and is this year’s multimedia editor.
Emma joined The Beacon at the start of her sophomore year as a photographer and is now beginning her third year on staff. She first got into photography when her parents gifted her a DSLR camera for eight grade graduation and the once-hobby has now turned into a passion of hers.
Outside of her busy academic schedule, Emma enjoys listening to music, taking ballet classes, singing, and reading.
She can be found on Instagram @emmakatherine__.
Janea Melido, Copy Editor & Sr. Reporter
Janea Melido is a junior English major from Sunnyvale, California and this year’s Copy Editor.
Having endured her first year of college online, Janea joined staff as a reporter her sophomore year. To Janea, The Beacon was one of the few things keeping her connected to the campus as COVID-19 had her stuck at home a state away. That feeling of community is what prompted her to apply as a reporter and she has loved every moment ever since.
When not participating in Beacon related activities, Janea can be found buying everything she can find in the color pink, scrapbooking her college memories or asking her friends if they want to splurge and go out to eat.
She can be found on Instagram @janea.melido.
Kimberly Cortez, Community Engagement Editor
Kimberly Cortez is a sophomore Sociology major with a Spanish minor from Orange County, California. She is this year’s Community Engagement Editor.
This is Kimberly’s second year working at The Beacon, joining her fall semester of her freshman year. Kimberly loves the environment The Beacon has created that focuses on both cultivating writing skills and producing compelling stories for the student body.
When she isn’t doing Beacon work, you can catch Kimberly thrifting, hanging out with friends, binge watching shows, listening to music, scrolling way too much on TikTok, skating around campus, or climbing.
She can be found on Instagram @_kimberly_cortez_.
