Studio Blog

With our new focus on topic sections, we have enlisted a team of industry experts to help build and manage their respective sections.  With years of experience in their fields they will play an active role in shaping these sections and will be available as a resource for writers and editors.  So without further ado, meet our content consultants!

Home: Phil Schmidt

Philip Schmidt worked as a professional carpenter for six years until he decided to hang out his shingle as a full-time writer. He has since written about home improvement, design and décor, and green homes, authoring 17 books, including Decorating with Architectural Details and Black & Decker’s Building & Finishing Walls & Ceilings and The Complete Guide to Greenhouses & Garden Projects. He also writes articles and other content for online publishers and edits how-to books of all descriptions.

Tech: Sarah Pike

Sarah Pike has been a professional technology editor and writer since 1998, focusing primarily on software reviews and how-to articles. Her work appears on PCMag.com, Top Tech Dog and Consumer Reports’ semiannual Electronics Buying Guide. Sarah has been a copy editor with Demand Media Studios since 2009.

Food: Kathleen Stebbins

Kathleen Stebbins is a former food and beverage professional who has been writing and editing professionally since 1999, specializing in travel, food, outdoor recreation and general features. She won awards as a food critic and features editor for Gannett that included multiple "Best Food Section" designations from the Association of Food Journalists and a nomination by the James Beard Foundation. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in journalism from the University of Southern California.

Auto: Pete Gatlin

Pete Gatlin worked as a professional mechanic for more than 15 years on everything from 396 El Caminos to Massey Ferguson farm tractors. Pete’s career included stints at local garages and repair shops from Tampa to Mt. Shasta as well as three years as the chief mechanic at an automotive machine shop in Steamboat Springs and four years as the head of ground vehicle maintenance for a commuter airline in Connecticut.  A love of the English language eventually drove Gatlin down a different road to an editing career.  

Pets: Michelle Rivera

Michelle Rivera is the author of numerous books about animal issues, including Hospice Hounds: Animals and Healing at the Borders of Death and Canines in the Classroom: Raising Human Children through Interactions with Animals. She attended the University of Missouri Animal Cruelty School and is certified with the Florida Animal Control Association. She is a licensed Delta Society Pet Partner Evaluator, humane educator, dog trainer and veterinary technician.

Business & Personal Finance: David Fisher

David Fisher has worked as a journalist for more than 25 years, including six years as a managing editor and three years as a business reporter, covering the real estate market and banking industry. His career has included reporting jobs with the Seattle Post-Intelligencer and the Associated Press. In addition, he has served as a licensed financial adviser and an investment representative.

Visit this forum thread to ask questions, and get more information on DMS Topic Sections.

Regards,

The DMS Team