Jillian Jackson, Intern and Social Media Specialist

Tweet, tweet! If you encounter a Scout message on Twitter or Facebook, chances are it’s Jillian (Jackson if you’re nasty) who’s behind it. She is also the keeper of the calendar and a contributor to the Scout blog. Ask her if there are any upcoming events in Somerville that involve playing with puppies – yes, this has actually happened – and Jill will know. Raised in Fairhaven, educated at Emmanuel and UMass-Boston, Jillian is equally at home blogging about an all-female Hamlet at The Armory as she is breaking down Emily Dickinson stanzas. She’ll whoop you in Scrabble, too, if you’re not careful.

Kelly MacDonald, Photographer

Kelly MacDonald - www.KellyMacDonaldPhotography.com

It is said of famous baseball players that they were born with wooden bats in their hands. Well, ever since she can remember, Kelly has had a camera in her hand. As a teen in Marco Island, Florida, she took a job at a one-hour photo both to pay for film and get discounts on developing. All this, to support her zealous photography of friends and family. Later, she spent four years working as a photographer and counselor at Paul Newman’s Hole in the Wall camps. When she graduated from Boston University in 2008, she had no doubt that she would pursue a career in photography. She has lived in Somerville for 11 years now, and she intends to stick around.

Meghan McQueeney, Contributor

Meghan has been with Scout from Day 1, playing an integral role in launching the magazine’s print edition and online presence and obsessing over all things Somerville. By day, Meghan works for Nellymoser, a privately held company based in Arlington specializing in mobile computing. By night, she savors Glee and board games and muses on how to smoothen the ever-thorny realm of public transportation. Raised in Marshfield, she graduated from Skidmore College in 1998.

Ilan Mochari, Editor

Ilan Mochari - ilan@somervillescout.com

When he’s not wearing his Scout cap, Ilan is a freelance writer and editor with a many-splendored clientele, ranging from the MIT Sloan Management Review to the fantasy baseball site RosterSlots.com. He grew up on Long Island and spent his free time in the library and on the basketball court. His first job in the Boston area was going door-to-door with a clipboard raising money to preserve the Endangered Species Act. A former staff writer for Inc, Ilan has also written for Fortune Small Business and CFO. He is the Sports Editor of INsite Boston and a contributor to KFFL.com. His short fiction has been honored by Glimmer Train and published in Keyhole and Ruthie’s Club. In 2009, he received a Literature Artist Fellowship grant from the Somerville Arts Council, a local agency supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council. He has a B.A. in English from Yale University.

Andy Pyman, Web Development & Hosting

Andy Pyman - andy@trulygoodsolutions.com

Founder of Truly Good Design in Somerville and a member of Somerville Local First, Andy was a natural fit to be the man behind the rad redesign of the Scout site. Down with Scout since Issue 1 as Web Hoster and all around supporter, Andy loves the opportunity to contribute to the most happening publication in city limits. In a former life, Andy worked as a canvasser for VPIRG and a midnight stocker at Home Depot. Born outside of Worcester, raised in Connecticut, and grounded in Vermont, Andy studied computer science at St. Joseph University and Community College of Vermont-Burlington. He lives in Somerville with his consort and their 2 sweet munchkins.

Jon Van Kuiken, Business Manager

Jon Van Kuiken - jon@somervillescout.com

Jon grew up in various parts of Michigan, moving to Chicago in the mid-80s to pursue a culinary career. He waited tables, cooked and performed numerous roles in the world of corporate dining. In the 90s he began a career transition to the nonprofit sector, working in various capacities for DePaul University for 13 years. Along the way he earned degrees in Business Administration from Roosevelt University and Information Systems from DePaul. After joining Scout prior to Issue 3, Jon quickly displayed the talents he honed at DePaul: budgeting, IT management and meticulous bookkeeping. Jon also contributes to Scout as a blogger and photographer. Equally important, he continues to furnish a magic touch as a chef. His “Almost Famous” cookies remain a Highland Avenue highlight for Scout staff and sugar-starved passersby.