About Us

Coast, a monthly regional lifestyle magazine, has had the same goal for over 20 years: provide readers with provocative features and slices of Orange County life in a distinctive style they cannot find in any other publication.

Our editorial staff is always searching for the colorful and the sophisticated, the overlooked and incomparable treasures that define the area as one of the most sought after addresses in the nation.

We're always trying to get to know our readers a little better, but here's a chance to get to know us...

Mike Burns
Publisher/Senior VP/Group Publisher
Also Responds To: Got a minute?, Dad, Franklin, Honey-Bunny, Hey You
Official Duties: Running a thriving and exciting business that informs and delights our readers and delivers results to our customers
Additional Duties: Running all Orange County Register magazines – and then there are those three daughters…
Guilty Pleasures: Chocolate, HBO’s “Girls,” wine (any and all), my wife's oatmeal raisin cookies
Turn-Offs: Prejudice, being self-centered, white chocolate
Superhero Alter Ego: Mr. Fantastic, duh!
Theme Song: “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood” by The Animals

Justine Amodeo
Editor-in-Chief
Also Responds To: Are you on the phone? Mom, Control Freak, tears
Official Duties: Managing editors, writers, photographers and designers, picking covers, choosing content
Additional Duties: Offering meditative insight in the midst of continuous drama
Guilty Pleasures: National Enquirer, Bugles, anything to do with vampires
Turn-Offs: Divisiveness and cruelty
Superhero Alter Ego: Sarasvati
Theme Song: "Time Rag" by Joan Baez

Jessica Peralta
Web Content Manager
Also Responds To: JP, The Other Jessica, Who does the website?, dry wit
Official Duties: Managing website, editing, writing about beauty and spas, assisting with magazine production, supervising interns
Additional Duties: Educating co-workers on the latest developments in the horror genre
Guilty Pleasures: Zombies, Slurpees, Doritos, '80s teen romance flicks, wearing scary monster makeup
Turn-Offs: Inconsideration, dishonesty and killer clowns
Superhero Alter Ego: Natasha Romanoff aka Black Widow
Theme Song: "Cherry Bomb" by The Runaways

Jessica Forsyth
Managing Editor
Also Responds To: The Other Jessica, Where does Justine sit?
Official Duties: Writing, editing, interviewing, magazine production, research
Additional Duties: Snack supplier, restaurant guide, Production Enforcer
Guilty Pleasures: “Locked Up Abroad” on Nat Geo, gangster rap, too much butter, dessert every night
Turn-Offs: Dogma, closed-mindedness, status-driven people
Superhero Alter Ego: Dr. Iain Douglas-Hamilton, founder of Save the Elephants
Theme Song: “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” by Queen

Kedric Francis
Executive Editor
Also Responds To: Da-Da
Official Duties: Coast’s ambassador to the community
Additional Duties: Writing feature stories, always late
Guilty Pleasures: Carnitas and Diet Coke
Turn-Offs: Traffic and mean people
Superhero Alter Ego: Meta-Man
Theme Song: “Try a Little Tenderness”

Sarah Mosqueda
Contributing Editor
Also Responds To: Are you Sarah?
Official Duties: Writing, editing, formatting, styling, shooting video, assisting on shoots
Additional Duties: Dressing models and picking up Susan’s long forgotten sweaters
Guilty Pleasures: Taylor Swift, Dirty Dancing
Turn Offs: Dishonesty, ignorance, a sense of entitlement
Superhero Alter Ego: Lois Lane (technically not a superhero, but close enough)
Theme Song: “Brass in Pocket” by The Pretenders

Susan Segal
Calendar Editor/Contributing Writer
Also Responds To: Your Majesty
Official Duties: Writing the monthly events calendar and occasional articles, and copy editing
Additional Duties: Looking up unnecessary and arcane facts, demanding attention
Guilty Pleasures: Wii Lego games, Harry Potter and pedicures
Turn-Offs: Self-importance
Superhero Alter Ego: Wonder Woman
Theme Song: "Are You Alright?" by Lucinda Williams

Ed Olen
Photographer
Also Responds To: Can you do me a favor?
Official Duties: Shooting
Additional Duties: Shooting
Guilty Pleasures: Showgirls, Grease 2, Peanut M&M's
Turn-Offs: Attitude
Superhero Alter Ego: Patsy Stone
Theme Song: "Mr. Blue Sky" by Electric Light Orchestra

Monica Hernandez
Director of Operations
Also Responds To: Why do we have to do it that way?, desperate looks through my window, freakish writing on contracts, any challenge to organize!
Official Duties: Budgeting, printing, paying bills, tracking sales, liaison for custom jobs, layout, production, circulation, etc. etc…
Additional Duties: Making sense out of chaos
Guilty Pleasures: Fideo at Old Town Mexican Cafe in San Diego (my food nirvana), reading the Sunday OC Register in bed with my hubby, Cincinnati Reds Baseball, big sloppy cheeseburgers, any beach-anytime-anywhere day or night
Turn-Offs: Selfishness, laziness, prejudice
Superhero Alter Ego: The Wizard
Theme Song: "My Way" by Little Joe y la Familia

Lee Offenhauer
Advertising Art Director
Also Responds To: Uh-oh, why won't this work?, What am I doing wrong?, Leeeeeee!!!
Official Duties: Designer, production go-to guy
Additional Duties: In-house IT representative, unofficial office green cop
Guilty Pleasures: Lakers basketball
Turn-Offs: SUVs, Hummers, greed
Superhero Alter Ego: The Green Lantern
Theme Song: "Catch the Wind" by Donovan

Charlie Lerner
Senior Account Manager
Also Responds To: Up calls and artist working
Official Duties: Sell, sell, sell and keep smiling
Additional Duties: Sell more and do all selling promos
Guilty Pleasures: Swedish Fish, jewelry online, fast cars
Turn-Offs: Frowns, gray skies, humidity, greasy fries
Superhero Alter Ego: Not me
Theme Song: Any jazz

Lori Conrads
Executive Assistant
Also Responds To: Can you do me a favor?, Mrs. Bon Jovi, sunshine
Official Duties: Helping everyone on the team with all the administrative duties and making sure we all have fun
Additional Duties: Keeping everyone on track by breaking out the New Jersey on anyone who gets out of line
Guilty Pleasures: Exotic vacations with overwater bungalows, Sunday Merlots at the San Clemente Pier, Bon Jovi, Bon Jovi, Bon Jovi
Turn-Offs: People who cannot put down their cell phone
Superhero Alter Ego: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Theme Song: “Wanted Dead or Alive” by Bon Jovi