News Team
Tamara Bell, Editor in Chief
Tamara began her journalism career as a reporter with the Dallas Times Herald. A few years later, she moved into politics and government, working for both Democratic and Republican members of the Texas Legislature as chief-of-staff, press secretary, and policy analyst. When not working on Y Gen, Tamara is a lecturer in the Advertising Department at The University of Texas at Austin. Tamara has a B.A. in Journalism from Texas A&M University and a Ph.D. in Journalism from the University of Texas at Austin.
Briana Conner, Y Gen TV Reporter
Briana Conner hails from Sugar Land, Texas, a suburb outside of Houston. She is currently a broadcast journalism major at The University of Texas at Austin, and plans to graduate this May. She considers herself a moderate, and looks up to women such as Oprah, Michelle Obama, and Barbara Walters. Her political interests include healthcare, education, and general public policy issues. She is also a member of the Texas POM Squad and enjoys exercising, dancing, and reading in her spare time.
Stephanie Kuo, Reporter
A graduate of Plano Senior High School, Stephanie is a sophomore at The University of Texas at Austin, studying copy-editing and design in the School of Journalism. Last summer, she interned at a small community newspaper, where she worked full-time as a writer and editor. Currently, she is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists, and serves as webmaster and service chair at the UT chapter. Stephanie hopes to make it in the world of magazines someday, writing and editing for publications like Vanity Fair. Stephanie affiliates herself with the Democratic Party, with liberal perspectives on issues such as capital punishment, health care, and abortion. She is extremely interested in foreign policy and the need for the United States to form more diplomatic ties with foreign nations.
Regan Mathias, Reporter
Regan Mathias is a senior at the University of Texas at Austin majoring in Government, Sociology, and Women’s and Gender Studies. She is from Houston, but spent several years of her childhood in Indonesia. Regan is particularly interested in women’s issue, including reproductive rights and the portrayal of women in the media. She believes in voting on issues and the quality of the politician themselves – not parties. However, her commitment to civil rights and civil liberties almost always aligns her with the Democratic Party.
Aziza Musa, Reporter
Aziza Musa is a student at The University of Texas at Austin, where she plans to major in journalism and psychology. She has a deep interest in international relations and social issues. Aziza believes the U.S. news media tends to ignore most countries, and will pursue changing that mindset after graduation in 2011. For now, Aziza will focus most of her writing on the Y Gen Out Loud site to giving underrepresented countries a voice. For the past two years, Aziza has been a member of both the National and UT-Chapters of the Society for Professional Journalists. Though she doesn’t affiliate with any particular party, Aziza tends to lean toward the political left.
Lauren Phillips, Columnist
Born in Texas, Lauren Phillips was raised in Fort Worth, where she lived until moving to Austin to attend The University of Texas. Lauren is an energetic, levelheaded female who enjoys the company of good friends and family. After five years on the job, Lauren was recently laid off, so she’s currently seeking employment. As for politics, Lauren doesn’t identify with one particular party, and her beliefs are more moderate. When it comes down to voting, Lauren tends to support the candidates and the beliefs they stand for rather than the party they are affiliated with.
Samantha Scharff, Reporter
Samantha Scharff is currently a junior at The University of Texas at Austin studying communication studies. While she has never affiliated herself directly with one party over the other, she tends to lean more towards liberal philosophies and prefers to look at all aspects of each issue. Originally from San Antonio, Samantha loves the energy Austin offers with its large community of young, vocal students trying to make an impact. Greatly motivated by her late Grandpa David, an Auschwitz survivor, Samantha’s goals are not only to be a voice of the future, but of the past, and she hopes to get others interested and invested in what is taking place in the world.
Rachel Wilcox, Reporter
Rachel Wilcox is currently in graduate school at The University of Texas at Austin studying advertising and journalism. Rachel moved to Austin after graduating with a B.A. in anthropology five years ago. After moving to Texas she traveled to Arusha, Tanzania, as a volunteer working with HIV/AIDS patients. There she became interested in women’s rights in Africa and African history and wants to focus her writing primarily on this region. Rachel leans strongly to the left politically, but at the same time, feels that a balance is needed for an effective government.
