LFM Contributing Writers

Chuck Douros is a freelance writer from northern California. As a self-proclaimed ‘foodie’, Chuck has made a career out of all-things-food. As a veteran food-industry executive, he has worked as a corporate trainer, product manager, contract food service director, occupational health & safety professional and franchise restaurant owner. His writing reflects an intense respect for the hard-working professionals in the food industry, and a deep understanding of fresh ingredients, food-pairing, regional influences and healthy, sustainable solutions. Chuck’s writing credits include hundreds of articles dedicated to food, home & garden, green initiatives and outdoor recreation. On the lighter side, Chuck exercises his funny bone as the chief puzzle-writer for Mad Gab Online. In 2010, he won a national Haiku poetry contest with an enchanting Valentine’s Day Haiku.

Visit his blog, RunWriteDig: stories, resources and news about living a healthier lifestyle and enjoying the great outdoors.

For more than 10 years, Kimberle Taitano has proudly used her psychic gifts to help others grow, change, recover and embrace their authentic selves, as a Psychic

Healer, Intuitive Life Coach, Ordained Minister and Reiki Practitioner.

A San Diego California native, Kimberle is a natural born psychic medium, and channel who grew up believing that everyone saw and heard angels and people who have passed on. Suppressing her many psychic abilities, she kept her “secret” Kimberle worked as a professional actress and model and it was not until a near death experience, where she died from a heart attack at age 30 for 2.1 seconds, that her many gifts finally revealed themselves. She found a psychic healer who encouraged her to embrace her life purpose as a true Psychic healer., Kimberle set out on a spiritual quest, learning, and honing her talents, and has become IPA certified and highly respected, authentic Clairvoyant, Clairaudient, Clairsentient, Empath, and Channel. She helps clients recognize the blockages and repetitive self destructive patterns preventing them from the life they desire. Incorporating tools as an Intuitive Life Coach, as well as her personal experiences she connects and delivers messages and guidance to her clients with heart centered love, support, encouragement, and always a positive intent.

Visit Kimberle’s website.

Marie Fang has a Master’s Degree in Clinical Psychology and is currently pursuing a Doctoral Degree in the field. She was diagnosed with Celiac Disease at age 20, an autoimmune disease that requires her to maintain a strict gluten-free diet. This shift led Marie to revolutionize the way she viewed eating: from drab, unhealthy foods to healthy whole foods using fresh ingredients. Being in graduate school, Marie understands what it means to be gluten-free on a budget. She posts video blogs on YouTube about making gluten-free living fun, easy, and affordable, and brings her own twist to living gluten-free using her knowledge of psychology to examine how such lifestyle shifts impact others. Marie has a passion for serving others, especially giving information about healthy living and addressing the needs of mind, body, and soul.

Visit Marie’s YouTube Channel.

From her home blissfully nestled in the San Juan Mountains of Southwestern, Colorado, Jodie Blankenship seeks variety, eager to learn more about an ever-changing world. With more than seven years of journalism experience as well as a bachelor degree in English/Communications and masters in Communications Arts/Journalism, she is happy to pursue her passion–writing. She joins Live Fit Magazine offering insight into the San Juan Mountains healthy living lifestyle. We’re certain you’ll enjoy Jodie’s journeys around Colorado.

Visit Jodie’s website.

Kika Gutierrez joins Live Fit Magazine as our very helpful intern. She is a San Diego native who loves being near the ocean. After graduating from Helix Charter High School in 2010, she knew that there was no better place to continue her education than in her beautiful hometown! She is now a sophomore at San Diego State University majoring in Journalism Media Studies as well as Sociology. As an avid communicator, she craves opportunities to meet new people and hear their stories. She is eager to break into the competitive field of Public Relations . Kika is thrilled to be contributing to the Me Time! and Fashion and Beauty sections of Live Fit Magazine.

Jackie Pilossoph is a freelance magazine writer, a columnist and the author of JACKPOT! and HOOK, LINE AND SINK HIM, two comedic novels that received excellent reviews. Pilossoph has a masters degree in communication. She lives in Chicago with her family. ”I love, love, love to write!”, she tells Live Fit Magazine & Films.  Jackie writes on many subjects, including restaurant and film reviews.

Here’s a synopsis from JACKPOT!

Frankie, a longtime widow has wanted grandchildren for years. Now she’s prepared to pay cash for them. When Frankie presents her son and daughter each with a contract promising $8 million dollars if he or she can produce a child in the next twelve months (DNA tested, of course), Jamie and Danny each begin a frantic search for a person to help them reproduce. To buy Jackie’s books and learn more about her, visit her website.

Dr. Hoppe is a national and international speaker and also a published author of clinical trials in the field of women’s health. She is a highly respected, board-certified obstetrician/gynecologist in private practice in San Diego, California. She runs her own private practice and serves as Medical Director for Aesthetically Pleasing medical spa in Encinitas California. Previously she co-founded a private group practice, Pacific Coast Women’s Health, Inc. She also functions as the Medical Director/Principal Investigator of Pacific Coast Research Center, a medical research center that conducts international clinical research trials in the field of women’s health, including menopause, perimenopause, and libido.

Visit her website: DrDianaHoppe.com

Cynthia Dial, a writer whose beat is the whole world, is the author of Teach Yourself Travel Writing. Published in London as an addition to the Teach Yourself series, the book has worldwide distribution (U.S. distributor is McGraw-Hill). In its second printing, it originated as a complement to the travel writing classes/seminars, which she has taught well over a decade. A journalist since 1988, her work has appeared in national and international newspapers and magazines–most recently in TIME Asia, TIME Europe, Hemispheres, Shape, Fit, Fit Yoga, San Diego Home/Garden Lifestyles, Dallas Morning News, Austin-American Statesman, and the Toronto Star (author of column, Shopping Trips). She is also a special correspondent for Travel’n On radio. She says that each time she flies first class, steps onto the deck of a cruise ship, or boards a train to begin a day of work, she congratulates herself on her career choice, to which she admits an addiction. “For me to have the opportunity to travel the world and share the experience with readers is the fulfillment of a dream, because in my life–travel is essential. You see, it’s not like eating–I can always diet. It’s more like breathing–I can’t live without it.” Visit her website, click here.

Brook Montagna is a Life Coach, specializing in coaching individuals and groups to deepen their experience in life, to live boldly, and to manifest personal and professional success. Brook’s coaching is grounded in mindfulness and helps clients develop focus, awareness, acceptance, peace and joy. Through Brook’s coaching, clients are able to break through habitual limiting patterns of thought and behavior in order to achieve greater self-confidence, clarity, purpose, creativity and balance in life. 

Brook’s training and experience in the human potential field, coupled with her commitment to her own personal and spiritual growth, bring depth and richness to her work. She is a Certified Mindful Coach, a California Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, and a Washington Licensed Mental Health Counselor. She has more than 15 years of experience in helping individuals and groups set and reach their personal and professional goals. Brook’s passion is helping others live life from a place of inner truth with mindful confidence and skillful actions for greater success. She offers tele-workshops, hosts a Mindful Life Community, and provides inspiration and resources on her blog MindfulWayofLife.com. To find out more, call 805-640-2445 or email brook@mindfullifecoach.com to schedule a COMPLIMENTARY CONSULTATION. Visit her Website: MindfulLifeCoach.com.

Sermsee Kerner has been writing since childhood. Growing up with three younger siblings, she kept them entertained with her enthusiastic storytelling. She writes poetry, children’s stories, and women’s fiction with universal themes of life experiences and she especially likes to write with an inspiring message or lesson in mind.

She studied journalism at San Diego State University—one highlight was the story she wrote about her interview with defense trial lawyer, F. Lee Bailey. She is currently working on her first novel and also exploring a new genre through a Christian writing group. Sermsee works as a mortgage banker but has a writer’s heart and soul. Email her at skerner@san.rr.com.

Jessica Plancich, MA, MFT is a licensed marriage/family therapist with an integrative approach to psychotherapy and a passion for awakening the heart.  Seeing the personal and clinical limitations of her Western psychology foundation, she sought training in Eastern expanded approaches to healing and wellness.

Impassioned by the impact on her own journey, she now shares this wisdom with others in her private psychotherapy practice Innerfinity and leads psycho-somatic movement workshops kinecshen to further integrate body-mind-soul healing.

Fashion & Beauty Editor, Siena Marilyn has her own savvy fashion sense. She’s not afraid to try new styles and to take clothing that others might pass up and give it a new look with a fascinating twist. Siena loves creative writing, beauty, fashion, and nature. As Live Fit Magazine & Films’ Fashion & Beauty Editor, Siena will search the globe for unique styles, great buys, and hot beauty trends. She welcomes your feedback and story ideas. Siena Marilyn also covers theatre and is an actor who has performed in several musicals in San Diego at the Joan Kroc and Lawrence Welk Theatres. Visit her style website here.

Jillian Risberg is a freelance journalist who lives and breathes news and loves to be in the thick of things getting the story. She started her career deep in Hudson County politics at The Jersey Journal. For seven years she wrote feature stories–home, garden, health, fitness, food and more for a variety of Gannett publications, including the Daily Record and its magazines; Good Life, Panache and Real Morris, as well as the Courier News. About the same time, the New Jersey bureau chief of the Associated Press personally invited her to take their writing test (she passed) and is qualified to write for any AP bureau in the United States. In Southern California, she has contributed to the Beach & Bay Press, Peninsula Beacon, La Jolla Light and, for the past two years, has been a correspondent for Ranch & Coast, a luxury lifestyle magazine based in Encinitas. Currently she contributes regularly to NewJerseyNewsRoom.com and SanDiegoNewsRoom.com, where, among other things she writes a “Chef of the Month” column. While recently pursuing her other passion, broadcast journalism, she has reported for Montclair TV34, hosted This Week in East Brunswick for EBTV3, and her own half-hour producer’s showcase for award-winning Del Mar (CA) Television.