Cara Strickland is an award-winning writer and former food critic specializing in food and drink. Her work has appeared in the Washington Post, Salon, Southwest, Time Out, Atlas Obscura, JSTOR Daily, the Rumpus and others. She has called Spokane home for over 20 years. Connect with her further at carastrickland.com.

David Otterstrom was born and raised in Spokane. His mother is an herbalist and taught him about local wild plants and their uses since he was a child. His interest in learning about wild edible plants increased over time, especially during the past 8 years. He is equally passionate about gardening. His love for gardening has become a major focus in his life. He received a degree in Vocal Performance from University of Idaho. He loves the outdoors, especially rockhounding and hiking throughout the Inland Northwest.

There are very few things in life Morgan enjoys more than stories. With almost a decade of experience as a storytelling coach, emcee and public speaker, Morgan believes that she was put on earth to share stories and guide others to do the same. She has her MA in Communication and Leadership from Gonzaga University, where she serves as an adjunct professor. You can find her around town enjoying a fresh margarita at any local spot with a patio.

Meghan Fitzgerald is a Spokane local with a passion for sharing a drink and a story. After graduating this past year from the Institute for Enology and Viticulture in Walla Walla, Meghan returned to Spokane to pursue both interests by contributing to the city’s culture scene through her writing and her hospitality experience. In addition to contributing to Edible Inland Northwest, Meghan operates as the Tasting Room Manager for Warrior Liquor Distilling. She is currently working toward achieving her certification as a Sommelier and making plans toward pursuing her next scholarly goal, resolving herself to her fate as an eternal academic.

Monika Jacobson is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and owner of Eat Move Thrive-Spokane, a virtual nutrition coaching business and host of online cooking classes for adults and kids. Monika loves to help her clients build sustainable lifestyle changes to support their health goals. She believes that a healthy diet should be one that includes all beloved foods and satisfies the palate! Find her at eatmovethrivespokane.com.

Adriana Janovich is an Eastern Washington-based food and travel writer and editor. Her work has appeared in the in-flight magazines for Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air as well as Edible Seattle, Fodor’s Pacific Northwest and newspapers statewide. She was the food editor at the Spokesman-Review before joining Edible Inland Northwest and has a master’s degree in specialized journalism from the University of Southern California.

Noelle is a passionate and devoted Sommelier with 15 years experience in fine dining and the realm of exquisite wines, learning a great deal along the way from phenomenally talented restaurateurs, chefs, distributors, winemakers and fellow Sommeliers which has served to deepen her love, appreciation and pursuit of knowledge in the world of wine. She obtained her Introductory Sommelier Certification in 2020 and her Certified Certification in 2021.

Joshua is a certified culinary educator at the Inland Northwest Culinary Academy at Spokane Community College. He carries both European and domestic culinary degrees, has worked as a cook for over 25 years, and loves toasted peanut butter & jelly sandwiches.

Morgan, ever since childhood, has had a deep love for learning. Her passion centers on reading, writing, journalism, and connecting with people. With a degree in Public Relations and conflict management, she loves working with local people and telling their inspiring stories. Growing up Morgan saw wonder in life and found that everyone had a unique story and life that she wanted to understand. Through writing, it has become the best fit to fulfill her passions about connecting with people and their experiences. Previously, Morgan has worked as a content writer, Public Relations intern in politics, and campaign content manager for myriad local clients and projects. As a Washington resident, she has fallen in love with all things Inland Northwest. Being the daughter-in-law of a professional chef and being a foodie herself, she’s always ready for any food adventure with a pen in one hand and fork in the other.

Born in Siberia, Anna Senchenko has called Spokane home for 20 years. Anna’s love of the outdoors and passion for supporting all things local has led her to create Spokane Playground, a venue where she shares adventures and recommendations around town and the greater Inland Northwest. She can be found on instagram @SpokanePlayground.

Julia moved from Montana to Spokane in 2009 and has been exploring her way around this surprising little city ever since. After earning her bachelor’s in communications from Whitworth University, she started a career in digital marketing, establishing her own social media management business in 2018. She is currently earning her master’s in cinema studies from NYU Tisch School of the Arts. You can follow her journey to enjoy Spokane’s best patios on Instagram at @patioseezn.

Jamie Aquino is a culinary class instructor with a focus on vegetarian, plant-based and farm-to-table food. She's been teaching locally for almost a decade. Jamie also helped build and is currently the co-director of a community non-profit health education program. Jamie is passionate about sharing her knowledge of food, nutrition and all things local with her community.

S. Michal Bennett is a freelance writer, home culinary technician, and professional drink crafter living in North Idaho. She and her husband savor local and regional food and drink as often as possible, and enjoy discovering new places, people, and cuisine on their travels. Together they own Coffee Roboto, a mobile cafe, and the Steady Bar, a non-alcoholic cocktail pop-up bar. Michal’s writing focuses primarily on food, drink, outdoor adventure, gardening, environmental issues, and lifestyle topics, and has been published in a number of Inland Northwest and national publications. Follow @MichalBennettLS on Facebook.

Ari Nordhagen is a professional portrait, wedding and food photographer who loves art, traveling, food & wine and supporting locally owned businesses. She moved to Spokane by way of California and Nevada and currently resides near Green Bluff, with her husband and four sons. She has a BA in Human Biology from Stanford University and is passionate about meeting and telling the stories of immigrant chefs. Follow her on Instagram at @joyful.meandering and at www.amenphotography.com.

Brittany is an Inland Northwest baker with a passion for community and food. She has a degree in Hospitality Management, as well as Baking and Pastry. Her love of food and the local area have inspired her work in this and other local publications. She now works with the Inland Northwest Farmers Market Association, sourcing local and regional items to fill weekly food boxes for the food-insecure and underfed members of the community.

Along with being a long-time resident of the Inland Northwest, Scott Linklater is a writer, local musician, and alumni of WSU and the University of Idaho, and is a PhD from Gonzaga University. When not tending to his greenhouse and garden with his family, Scott enjoys taking in a football match over local beers.