At Influx magazine, our team is made up of passionate storytellers, photographers, designers, and creators dedicated to bringing fresh perspectives to life. Get to know the minds behind the magazine!
Ella Anderson
Editor-in-Chief
Ella Anderson is a writer, born and raised in Minnesota, driven by curiosity and a passion for storytelling. She spends her free time hunting for the best local eats, enjoying live music and making memories with friends and family.
Emma Walytka
Editor-in-Chief
Emma Walytka is a journalist, mental health advocate and public health enthusiast. Emma is a contributing writer for Minnesota’s largest LGBTQ+ publication, Lavender Magazine, and co-blog editor for the University’s fashion-lifestyle magazine, Golden.
Writing Team
Sofia Esparza
Writing Team Leader
Sofia Esparza is a writer, dreamer and self-taught barista from Eau Claire, Wisconsin. She spends her free time staring out the window and thinking of jokes to tell. She likes to play her guitar, journal and cook meals for her roommates.
Sophia Arndt
Writer
Sophia Arndt is a journalist, painter and avid crafter living in the Twin Cities who spent her childhood in Minnesota’s countryside. She can usually be found in a local bookstore or somewhere along the North Shore when she’s not writing.
Maya Bell
Writer
Maya Bell is a reporter for InFlux. She is also a book and comic lover who can play a mean alto saxophone. When she’s not at InFlux, Maya writes on the city desk as a reporter for the MN Daily.
Isabella Caswell
Writer / Multimedia Specialist
Isabella Caswell is a writer, cinephile and music enthusiast. She goes by “Izzy,” and she loves to junk journal, hang out with friends (duh) and people-watch.
Carter Dooner
Writer
Carter Dooner is a senior and aspiring sports journalist at the University of Minnesota. In his free time, he likes to annoy his cat, golf and play poker.
Kinsey Gade
Writer
Kinsey Gade is a senior at the University of Minnesota. She can speak French and is currently learning Czech. She also loves reading, baking, hiking and thrifting. She plans to go to law school after undergrad and practice family law.
Aby Gervais
Writer / Multimedia Specialist
Aby Gervais is a journalism student at the University of Minnesota. She is a blogger for Golden Magazine, in which she published her favorite piece on gossip. She loves to read fashion magazines and sip on warm tea.
Lila Swedzinski
Writer / Multimedia Specialist
Lila Swedzinski is a senior at the University of Minnesota studying journalism. In addition to her passion for storytelling, she enjoys watching movies, hiking and trying new things.
Ellie Tulkki
Writer / Multimedia Specialist
Ellie Tulkki is a University of Minnesota senior pursuing a degree in journalism. With a passion for digital media and storytelling, she is committed to making meaningful contributions in an ever-evolving field. She thrives on stepping outside her comfort zone to explore new experiences and ideas.
Sommer Wagen
Writer
Sommer Wagen is an arts journalist, printmaker and crocheter who aspires to be the next Joan Didion, but will settle for a steady job, apartment and cat. They are secretly always trying to figure out your zodiac sign until they finally just ask.
Design / Website Team
Amy Nguyen
Design Team Leader
Amy Nguyen is a journalism student minoring in interdisciplinary design, with a focus on graphic design. Amy’s current camera is one she borrowed from her high school and never returned. She loves to listen to music, go on long walks and play board games.
Renee DeMars Dehn
Design Team Leader
Renee DeMars Dehn is a junior at the University of Minnesota studying advertising. She is the co-editor for the InFlux design and graphics team. She loves rollerblading and trying the many different restaurants that northeast Minneapolis has to offer.
Lauren Anderson
Website Team Leader
Lauren Anderson is a fourth-year journalism major at the University of Minnesota with a focus on digital media and social media strategy. She enjoys traveling, playing piano and guitar and reading in her free time.
Yichen Yao
Designer / Website Developer
Yichen Yao is a sociologist and media designer who now lives in Minneapolis but will live in Shanghai after graduation. She once read for six hours a day for three consecutive months. She likes playing games, writing, and painting.
Jasmine Gutz
Designer / Website Developer
Jasmine Gutz is a third-year strategic communications student at the University of Minnesota with a minor in interdisciplinary design and a certificate in editing and publishing. She is passionate about visual arts and communication and loves creating through drawing, crafting and more.
Liana Carriker
Designer
Liana Carriker is a senior at the University of Minnesota studying strategic communications. Liana enjoys thrifting, eating avocado toast and all things outdoors. She hopes to find a job that allows her to travel all over the world.
Lilian Nguyen
Designer
Lilian Nguyen is a writer, storyteller and journalism student at the University of Minnesota. She excels at crafting compelling narratives and engaging content. When she’s not working, she’s enjoying a good book with an iced matcha in hand.
Social Media Team
Faaya Adem
Social Media Team Leader
Faaya Adem is an undergraduate student at the University of Minnesota pursuing a B.A. in journalism and geography. As an Oromo student in the Twin Cities, she is passionate about uplifting diverse and marginalized communities through a combination of storytelling and research.
Katie Rohling
Social Media Team Leader
Katie Rohling is a senior at the University of Minnesota studying journalism with a minor in retail and consumer studies. Having been a writer at Golden Magazine for the past three years, she is passionate about fashion, culture and all things trendy.
Esi Adamaley
Social Media Team Member
Esi Adamaley is a third-year student from Brooklyn Park studying journalism and business marketing. Combining her love of the arts, journalism and marketing, she plans to create something beautiful for InFlux magazine.
Ellie Peterson
Social Media Team Member
Ellie Peterson is a senior at the University of Minnesota studying strategic communication with a focus on advertising and public relations. She is passionate about digital and social media marketing.
Catherine Synstelien
Social Media Team Member
Catherine Synstelien is a student, journalist and pop culture enthusiast who has seen every episode of the Emergency Intercom podcast at least twice. She loves to journal, upcycle clothing and take pictures of her friends.
Photography Team
Raina Brewer
Photography Team Leader
Raina Brewer is a Minnesota-based freelance lifestyle photographer. For Raina, photography is about intentional and artful storytelling. Career aside, Raina yearns for her future travels somewhere across the globe and for her next great read.
Sydney Becker
Photographer
Sydney Becker is a bridal maven who is pursuing her love of photography. She is passionate about capturing stills that tell a story. Her admiration for weddings, sports, music and sweets has influenced and shaped her creative endeavors.
Angellina Chang
Photographer
Angellina Chang is a strategic communications student who enjoys documenting life around her through her lens. When she’s not behind the camera, she’s exploring the outdoors or diving into her vinyl collection.
Ryann Frolik
Photographer
Ryann Frolik is a photojournalist skilled in multimedia communication. Raised in Minnesota, she has a passion for local culture and community. Ryann is knowledgeable in American Sign Language and is first-aid and CPR certified. She enjoys literature and art, as well as environmental studies and activism.
Margaret Poulos
Photographer
Margaret Poulos is a senior at the University of Minnesota from Milwaukee. She enjoys music, movies and walking around the city.
Copy Editing Team
Justin Melander
Copyediting Team Leader
Justin Melander is a recently and very happily married man who has a strong passion for writing. He aspires to be an author of a novel or two. Faith, family and food are the loves in his life.
Ayla Jorgensen
Copyeditor
Ayla Jorgensen is a Dakota student at the University of Minnesota who is passionate about bringing the Indigenous tradition of rich storytelling to her work as a communicator. She loves to drink tea, overshare and edit the heck out of other people’s writing (sometimes all at once).
Ava Van Hofwegen
Copyeditor
Ava Van Hofwegen is from Minneapolis and is a journalism major with a minor in fashion studies. She loves reading, shopping and her two cats. She enjoys writing fashion and lifestyle articles.
Podcast Team
Kaylie Sirovy
Podcast Team Leader
Kaylie Sirovy is a fourth-year student majoring in Cultural Studies and Comparative Literature and Journalism with a minor in Sustainability Studies. In her free time, she loves to play video games and read books that take her to new worlds.
Sophia Auseth
Podcaster / Multimedia Specialist
Sophia Auseth is a relationship-builder, communicator and experience-chaser. Always along for the journey, Sophia loves to meet new people and help them build their goals. She also plans to run a marathon this summer.
Spencer Tolkinen
Podcaster / Multimedia Specialist
Spencer Tolkinen is a senior at the University of Minnesota studying journalism and sociology of law, criminology and justice. He is passionate about video and audio editing and uncovering reality’s mysteries and secrets. He also enjoys snowboarding, gaming and baking.
