Since The Tico Times reopened in September 2017, we’ve worked hard to put together a terrific team: our small and highly motivated central staff coordinates coverage with an inspiring and growing family of freelance contributors.
We invite you to follow us – whether on our website, Facebook, Twitter or Instagram @TheTicoTimes – for photos, videos and commentary from Costa Rica every day. And please contact us with your own pics and feedback.
Meet our team:
Alexander Villegas, Assistant Editor: Born in the United States, raised in Costa Rica, and educated in Canada, Alexander is a freelance journalist and photographer focusing on under-reported issues across Latin America. Alexander’s stories and photographs have appeared in the Guardian, CBC, the Tyee, Bluff, Hakai Magazine and Smithsonian Magazine, and others.
Andrés Madrigal: Photographer and videographer as well as The Tico Times’ graphic designer. You can follow him on Instagram as @andresmadrigalcr.
Cindy Vargas: A longtime Tico Times team member, Cindy supports our sales and administration, including communication with our clients and distributors to ensure the best experience and results. cvargas@ticotimes.net
Freelance contributors, in alphabetical order:
Ivannia Alvarado: Communicator and inveterate traveler. Photography captured her world about a year ago; she found in this art the perfect medium to communicate, report, create awareness, but most of all, demonstrate that life’s not that bad if you can look at it. She also works in production and development of content related to culture and the city. Instagram: @ivacaminando.
Paula Álvarez: A couple weeks away from her journalism degree, she likes music, books and speaking as much English as she can. Twitter: @PauAlvarez23 / Instagram: @paualvarez23
Augusto Bolaños Morales: Strategic communication advisor with more than seven years’ experience working for nonprofit organizations on topics such as education, poverty reduction, sustainable communities and gender equality. Twitter: @Augus1411 / Instagram: @augustiiiiillo
Gabriela Brenes: Multimedia journalist with diverse experience in immersive technologies and social media platforms. Gabriela is a 2018 fellow of the international program Community Solutions. She also worked at the Webby Award-winning project Rise Up, by Fusion Media Group, and collaborates in VR projects with SeirenFilms. www.seirenfilms.com Twitter: @gabybreg
Gregory Calvo Aguilar: Journalism student at the Universidad Latina of Costa Rica. Passionate about photojournalism. 2017 winner of the European Union’s “Europe through My Lens” contest in Costa Rica. Instagram: @gregorycalag
Francisco Cubillo: Costa Rican photographer and journalist in the making. Jack of all trades, master of some. Instagram: @cubillomoraf
Ellen Zoe Golden: Former New York City punk rocker turned hip-hop head. She thought when she’d retire as a publicist in the entertainment business, she’d just surf, do yoga, run, read books, watch TV and hang out with her friends. She does all those things in Tamarindo, but has a day job as a travel agent for Costa Rica Vacations. She loves arranging for people to visit her adopted country.
Elizabeth Lang Oreamuno: A journalist with a strong passion for culture and its effects on social change; creator of The Tico Times’ “Weekend Arts Spotlight” series. Enjoys listening to music as well as talking about art. Twitter: @elangoreamuno
Carlos Andrés Madrigal: Costa Rican journalist. Lover of music, films and drawing, and collaborator for various media in Costa Rica. Twitter: @charliecamf4 / Instagram: @charliecamf
Álvaro Murillo: Journalist who specializes in political coverage and has written for La Nación, Semanario Universidad and El País. In “No Sugar, Please,” his twice-monthly Tico Times column, he explores politics in its broadest terms, from the halls of government to community life. Connect with him on Twitter.
Jonathan Jiménez Flores: Photographer and audiovisual producer. Credits include La Nación, Semanario Universidad and La Voz de Guanacaste. Instagram: @jjimenezfl
Juan Osorno M.: Digital marketing consultant at Coral Agencia de Mercadeo Digital. Editor at the digital media Noticias.CR. Passionate about technology, culture and Asian history. Twitter: @osornocr
Verónica Ramos Camareno: Mass communication graduate, independent writer and community manager at Red GAN UCCAEP. Instagram: @vramos1194
Todd Staley: Todd has run fishing sport operations on both coasts of Costa Rica for over 25 years. He recently decided to take some time off to devote full time to marine conservation. His “Wetline Costa Rica” column appears monthly in The Tico Times. Contact him at wetline@hotmail.com.
Mitzi Stark: Graduated from the University of Wisconsin in Milwaukee with studies in social work and journalism. A longtime Tico Times contributor, she came to Costa Rica years ago for a change of pace and still live on a coffee farm near Alajuela. She’s also a volunteer helping transporting cats and dogs to spay-neuter campaigns in the Alajuela area and once had 8 cats, 2 dogs and 5 people in her old Land Cruiser.
