Staff and Contributors

Blueprint Staff

  • Jim Newton

    Jim Newton

    Editor-in-chief

    Jim Newton is a veteran author, teacher and journalist who spent 25 years as a reporter, editor, bureau chief, editorial page editor and columnist at the Los Angeles Times. He is the author of four critically acclaimed books of biography and history, including "Man of Tomorrow: The Relentless Life of Jerry Brown." He teaches in Communication Studies and Public Policy at UCLA.

  • Richard E. Meyer

    Richard E. Meyer

    Senior Editor

    Meyer is the senior editor of Blueprint. He has been a White House correspondent and national news features writer for the Associated Press and a roving national correspondent and editor of long-form narratives at the Los Angeles Times.

  • Elizabeth Kivowitz

    Elizabeth Kivowitz

    Senior Executive Director, Public Outreach

    Elizabeth Boatright-Simon leads up UCLA Strategic Communications’ public outreach arm, forming partnerships and creating platforms to help engage policymakers, influencers and the general public with the expertise of university faculty, leadership and alumni. She has previously worked for the L.A. Mayor’s Office and The Broad Foundation. She has traveled the country doing advance for presidential campaigns and The White House.

  • Rent Control

    Rent Control

    Art Direction and Design

    Rent Control is a design and branding studio with offices in Orange County, CA and Portland, OR. The folks at Rent Control create, collaborate and live life by the simple motto, “Be Good.”

  • Noma Bar

    Noma Bar

    Illustrator

  • Ira Gorawara

    Ira Gorawara

    Office Manager

    Ira Gorawara is a junior at UCLA, Sports editor at the Daily Bruin with a keenness for sports storytelling.

  • Duane Muller

    Duane Muller

    Publication Manager

Contributors

  • Bill Boyarsky Writer

  • James Crawford Videographer

  • Lisa Fung Writer

  • Joshua Heath Writer

  • Jean Merl Writer

  • Jeffrey Rabin Writer

  • Jon Regardie Contributor

  • Ted Rohrlich Writer

  • Molly Selvin Writer

  • Nona Yates Researcher

UCLA Administration

  • Darnell HuntInterim Chancellor

  • Rhea TurteltaubVice Chancellor, External Affairs

  • Jennifer PoulakidasAssociate Vice Chancellor, Government and Community Relations

  • Anastasia Loukaitou-SiderisDean, UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs

UCLA Blueprint was conceived and created by an extraordinary group of talented people. Chief among them was Alex Boekelheide, who participated in every major decision regarding the creation and launch of this magazine and whose cheerful professionalism is a godsend to me and our colleagues.

On the editorial side, I am indebted, and not for the first time, to the legendary Rick Meyer, my colleague for more than 20 years at the Los Angeles Times. Generations of Times journalists (including me) benefited from Rick’s generous and graceful work; now, it is the contributors to Blueprint who enjoy those same gifts. And our copy chief, Lisa Horowitz, edits every word of this magazine, improving every story with her touch.

Along with our colleagues at the design firm Rent Control, two visual artists give Blueprint its look. Iris Schneider produces its arresting photographs. And Noma Bar, our gifted illustrator, created the magazine’s texture with his thought-provoking and visually arresting illustrations, beginning with the first issue and continuing through this one.

I am personally grateful to all of the above. There would be no Blueprint without them.

– Jim Newton