Meet the Reader’s Digest Editorial Team
Get to know the people behind Reader’s Digest’s magazine and website
Reader’s Digest is a trusted friend in a complicated world. Our editors are passionate about sharing big ideas, great stories, clever solutions, witty quips and hearty laughs with our 12 million monthly readers. Our team is made up of writers, editors and contributors with extensive professional experience in our fields of expertise. And we share a journalistic commitment to providing practical, actionable, authoritative information and inspiration to help you lead your best life.
We’d love to introduce ourselves.
Jason Buhrmester
Chief Content Officer, Magazines & Books
Jason is an award-winning editor, writer and author with more than 25 years of experience at major publications. His writing has appeared in Wired, the Chicago Tribune, Spin, the Village Voice and more. He is the author of two novels: Black Dogs, published by Random House/Three Rivers, and the forthcoming Five Four Three Two One, both currently in film production. He has also taught journalism at DePaul University.
Jason earned a master’s degree in journalism from Kent State University and a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Northern Illinois University. He lives in Chicago with his wife, two sons and two dogs, and dreams of wandering the country on a motorcycle.
The Reader’s Digest Print Team
Jody L. Rohlena
Executive Editor
Jody is the Executive Editor of Reader’s Digest. She has held top-level positions in print, digital, social media and creative leadership at Consumer Reports, ShopSmart, WebMD and other major media companies. Proud career highlights include interviewing Jimmy Kimmel about his appendix, publishing a poem about her family’s Century Farm and not poking Nick Cannon in the eye during a Today Show appearance. A graduate of the University of Iowa, she lives in New York with her husband, son and two cats.
Andy Simmons
Senior Features Editor
Andy is a longtime editor at Reader’s Digest, where he’s edited and reported on national interest, real-life dramas and humor. He is the author of Now That’s Funny!, featuring his most popular, funniest writings on all things America, some exclusive and all-new, some taken from the award-winning pages of Reader’s Digest.
Emily Goodman
Senior Editor
Emily is a writer, editor and puzzle creator who primarily contributes to the Reader’s Digest print magazine, handling our “How To” and “13 Things” columns as well as the Brain Games section and our annual “America the Tasty” cover story. A former French teacher and all-around language lover, she speaks English and French fluently, gets by in Italian and Spanish, and knows just enough Norwegian and Greek to make native speakers laugh.
Caroline Fanning
Editor
Caroline joined Reader’s Digest as an editorial intern in 2017 and has since risen through the ranks to editor. The RD List, We Found a Fix column and Nicest Places in America series are her dearest darlings. There is someone walking around Washington State with one of her stories tattooed on their bicep—her crowning achievement. She graduated from Stockton University in Atlantic City, New Jersey, in 2017 and currently lives and will likely expire in Asbury Park, New Jersey.
The Reader’s Digest Digital Team
Michelle Vartan
Senior Content Director
Michelle is a seasoned media maven, kicking off her career in print and then pivoting into broadcast and digital. She brings big ideas to life by leading teams and driving projects forward, including the launch of the DailyOM Journal at Everyday Health and the Stronger Women series at Livestrong. Michelle is based in Los Angeles and covers life-inspiring content such as health, women’s empowerment, human interest, culture, career and travel. You can find her bylines on NBC, MyDomaine, the Los Angeles Times and more. Additionally, she’s an on-camera host with a master’s degree in broadcast journalism from the University of Southern California.
Michelle is also a champion of her husband and two daughters, good girlfriends, new fitness movements and “getting lost” in nature.
Anne Fritz
Deputy Editor
Anne is a seasoned lifestyle journalist with more than 20 years of experience in content creation and planning. A former fashion and beauty director at Life & Style, she has written and edited for top publications including Everyday Health, The Spruce, What to Expect, Seventeen, Woman’s Day and more. She’s the mom of two elementary-school kids and the owner of a pandemic pup—all three keep her on her toes.
Dawn Yanek
Senior Editor
Dawn is a Senior Editor at Reader’s Digest who covers lifestyle, relationships, health and pop culture. As an on-air spokesperson and parenting blogger who has appeared on more than 2,500 TV segments, Dawn has likely popped up on your television at some point as an expert or actress. She lives in New York with her husband and their two mind-bogglingly energetic kids.
Tracey Neithercott
Books Editor
Tracey is the Books Editor at Reader’s Digest, where she oversees book content creation and runs the Reader’s Digest Book Club. She’s the host of the RD Book Club podcast on YouTube, the author of the YA novel Gray Wolf Island and a freelance book editor. A lifestyle journalist with 20 years of experience, she’s covered health, wellness, disability, beauty, books and entertainment for publications including Diabetes Forecast, Prevention, AARP, Better Homes & Gardens and Philadelphia Style. When she’s not reading books for work, she’s reading for fun. (Hey, she knows what she likes.)
Cameron Songer
Newsletter Editor
Cameron produces the newsletters for Reader’s Digest and The Healthy as the team’s Newsletter Editor. He previously held the same title at the San Antonio Express-News. A graduate of Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, he lives in Dallas with his wife and son. An avid sports fan, Cameron also freelances as a high school sports broadcaster. In his free time, he enjoys reading and gaming.
Mariah Thomas
Associate Editor
Mariah is an Associate Editor at Reader’s Digest, where she writes and edits lifestyle and holiday content. Mariah has more than five years of experience as a writer and editor for various brands, including Good Housekeeping. Along with receiving her bachelor’s degree in journalism, Mariah also has a master’s degree from the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism, where she studied arts and culture within the editorial and broadcast realm. Beyond the editorial desk, Mariah is the author of Heart and Soul: Poems of Thoughts & Emotions, a poetry book that celebrates the beauty of life, love and womanhood.
The Reader’s Digest Healthy Team
Kristine Gasbarre
Senior Editor, The Healthy
Krissy has worked in publishing and media for 20 years and is a No. 1 New York Times and internationally bestselling writer with work featured in People, the New York Times, the Oprah Winfrey Network, Sirius/XM Radio and more. With degrees in psychology and communications (Fordham University), she assisted a clinical research project at the Cleveland Clinic. She’s also the owner of two irresistible rescue dogs and the soon-to-be-resurrected Ski Lodge in Treasure Lake, Pennsylvania. Her partner is a courageous stage four cancer survivor.
Emily Surpless
Editor, The Healthy
Emily has more than a decade of experience producing digital content, working on sites focused on health, lifestyle, home and entertainment. As an editor for The Healthy, she focuses on pitching and optimizing content to satisfy reader curiosity and reach new users. She also writes about food and drug recalls, trending health topics and the health-care questions we all want to ask. When she’s not working, Emily spends her time with her fiancé and two dogs. She’s an avid reader and enjoys trying new crafts in her downtime. She lives in New Jersey, where she was born and raised.
The Reader’s Digest Social Media Team
Sam Kimbrell
Brand Director
Sam Kimbrell is a Los Angeles–based writer, director, performer and digital brand director who loves old-timey characters, robots, talking inanimate objects and the sound of dogs eating dry food. He holds a degree in screenwriting from Chapman University and studied improv and sketch at Second City, iO West and UCB. He’s created scripts, comedy blogs, live shows, jokes and videos for Crackle, Cartoon Network, Top Story! Weekly, Second City, iO, WAVE Sports, El Rey Network, Jukin Media, Crypto.com and Reader’s Digest. Sam was recently a performer in Second City Hollywood’s “That’s the End of Our Time” and was a finalist at JFL’s “Stand Up and Pitch.” He currently oversees the social direction of Reader’s Digest and FailArmy for Trusted Media Brands.
Lindsay Barton
Senior Social Media Editor
Lindsay manages all things social for Reader’s Digest. From Nickelodeon to Kleinfeld, she’s posted and shared more times than she can count. Lindsay earned her bachelor’s degree from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University. She lives in Westchester County with her boyfriend and an Alaskan Klee Kai named Broadway. Outside of work, Lindsay enjoys perfecting her iced coffee recipe and watching The Real Housewives.
The Reader’s Digest Shopping Team
Nicole Doster
Content Director, Strategy and Performance
Nicole is a seasoned digital content creator with more than seven years of experience writing and editing for major lifestyle brands. As a driving force across Reader’s Digest, Taste of Home and Family Handyman, she leads content direction for all things shopping and trends, overseeing thousands of product reviews each year. With a bachelor’s degree in communications from Loyola University Maryland, Nicole is an expert in her field, known for her data-driven approach to storytelling and deep knowledge of consumer behavior.
Want to join our team? Look for openings on the Trusted Media Brands careers page.
