What We Do
CLT Blog is a hundred photos of a good show where others might give you two; video of local events where some might give you just descriptions; instantaneous updates where many would wait till the next issue.
This is the next generation of local media, multiplied by a close-knit group of passionate journalists and artists.
Come back soon, come back often. We’re just getting started.
Who We Are
Justin Ruckman
I’ve lived in Greensboro, Raleigh, and Greenville, NC — but Charlotte and the surrounding area has always been my home. I’m currently finishing up a degree in mass media at UNCC and working as a freelance designer & consultant. Useless/awesome facts about me: I play clarinet, suck at tennis, and am a member of the Carolina Ballooning Association. That’s right ladies.
I blog at my personal site, Centripetal Notion, and at Metrolina Biofuels.
Matthew Tyndall
After living in Charlotte for three years, I have grown to love the uniqueness of the city. The design, nightlife, and the creative culture are simply amazing here. Each passing day I find something new and exciting around the corner and want to go tell all my friends about it. This is a big change from Fayetteville, NC (where I grew up), but it is a change I embrace and love. I look forward to being able to use CLT Blog as my way to show a mass audience what Charlotte has to offer, and as a way to connect people like me, who did not know what Charlotte was all about, to the thrilling culture it has to offer.
Justin Ritchie
I love Charlotte because of its dynamic neighborhoods and strong communities. Local music and local policy are two of my primary interests. Check out my photography (much of it in NC and Charlotte) at jritchphotography.com and on my personal blog jritch.net. You’ll find me around the city at festivals and events or on twitter.
Kelli Franklin
I have lived in Charlotte for the past five years and have found it to be nothing but growth from day one. As an architecture student and artist, my work is grounded in experiences, patterns, and processes of nature. I find that the best parts of life are the moments you stumble upon, the people you run across, and the places you end up. My excitement for CLT Blog is primarily in making this happen for others.
Emily Hinton
As an architecture student, artist, and musician, I have thrived on unique opportunities in Charlotte since I moved here four years ago. The urban fabric offers diverse people, an evolving landscape, and interesting cultural events. Life is all about excitement and new experiences. Charlotte is a great place to unexpectedly encounter a variety of experiences or create them for yourself. Through CLT Blog, I am looking forward to combining my interest in the built environment with the local scene and to sharing it with other Charlotteans.
Jason Keath
Charlotte is the sweet sunshine of the South I love. I was born and raised in the Queen City’s shadow, went to UNC Charlotte for graphic design, then promptly moved to Philly and traveled the country for about three years. Eventually, Philly’s Eagles fans, unnatural obsession with 80’s music, and five months of snow were just too much excitement for me and I felt the pull toward home. My passions are writing and design…all art really…and I currently get paid in advertising. I love living in a city that does not settle for what it once was, and I look forward to helping it become what it can be.
Dig more area design at DesignCharlotte.org.
Ben Ullman
I recently relocated to the Charlotte ‘burbs from the Philly area, drawn by the city’s impressive and growing skyline, promising options for work and play, great schools, and year-round mountain biking. I’m working at a big ol’ bank doing graphic design, pursuing various creative endeavors such as the Charlotte User Experience Association and the Knight Creative Community Initiative, and spouting out crazy ideas at various online venues, such as this here blog. For the latest on me, check my blog at budesigns.com.
Rosie Reilman
I’m a Cleveland transplant living here in Charlotte. I, like many of my other CLTblogger cohorts, have really taken to the Queen City and its unique atmosphere and culture. Currently, I work in recruitment marketing, am an avid blogger and an aspiring outdoor enthusiast, and am looking forward to connecting with the Charlotte community through CLT Blog. You can find more about my work and interests via my website.
Tina Roggenkamp
I am a native Charlottean and have lived on the West Side, in the University Area, and now near Ballantyne. I have a BA and MA in Sociology from UNCC, with a minor in Japanese. Once upon a time, I didn’t think I wanted children, but here I am, a SAHM, which is a complete misnomer because I am always on the prowl for places to take my ever-curious baby. I am also a coffee addict in search of the perfect cup of joe. I blog at tinaroggenkamp.blogspot.com .
Sarah-Katherine Wells
I’m a 24-year-old Charlotte entrepreneur who grew up in the hallowed halls of the Char-Meck public school system. I studied at Queens University, earning my Bachelor’s in English Lit and Writing, but my life’s calling is in helping people understand and control their own finances. There are few things I love more than a good Bar-B-Que, Panthers game, hike through Charlotte-area trails, or riveting discussion on public transportation. And like any good offspring of an Italian mother, I can always be found cooking, nurturing, or telling others what I think.
Hunter Wilson
Hunter [hunt•er, huhn-ter]: a guy who grew up in south Charlotte and lived there his whole life. I went to UNC Charlotte and started CarolinaNightlife.com instead of making exceptional grades. After graduating with a degree I could do nothing with, I continued running CNL as a full-time business and have been doing that ever since.
Erik Button
Why hello there! My name is Erik Button, but everyone calls me Erik. I have lived in Charlotte for less than a year. I film things for CLT Blog and will occasionally write a thing or two. In my free I make films, and try and get into film festivals so I can be the next Uwe Boll. Besides that, I enjoy watching movies, reading, and debating.
Sabrina Brown
I moved to the Queen City about 7.5 years ago intrigued like many by its growth. My interest as a real estate broker sparked almost immediately. Prior, I have lived all over the country: Ann Arbor, Michigan; Washington, DC; Phoenix, Arizona, New Orleans, Louisiana, and I can honestly say there is something special about this city. Prior to a career in real estate with Helen Adams Realty, I operated a consulting firm focusing on marketing research and consumer marketing, so I have a natural curiosity regarding market trends. I earned a degree in advertising from Loyola University and completed my graduate studies from the University of Michigan. My interest in contributing to the CLT Blog is to highlight some of the emerging trends in our real estate market, and how our lives are likely to be made different as a result.
James Willamor
I moved into Charlotte after graduating college in 2006, having spend most of my life in the surrounding counties. I work as a network technician for a local community college, but my real love is photography and exploring Charlotte’s diversity. Urban planning, skyscrapers, transit, and cultural events spark my interest, and I’ve recently taken up bicycling around the city. I’m a newlywed, reside in the Derita neighborhood, and occasionally record music for Derita Studio.
Jonathan Winn
I grew up just across the South Carolina border in Rock Hill. After 18 years of living on a family farm, I went to USC in Columbia and majored in Public Relations. Life has taken many shifts and turns since college, taking me to live in Australia, Denver, CO, and West Palm Beach, FL. For me, it took moving away from the Charlotte area to appreciate home. I’ve been back for a year now and am clear that I am in the right place, at the right time, doing the right thing. Charlotte is blossoming and we all live in one of the most up and coming cities in the country. I own my own massage therapy business in the Plaza Midwood neighborhood and live just down the street on Thomas Ave. I love the urban lifestyle, which allows me to walk to work, ride the bus to Uptown, ride my bike to Freedom Park and the occasional cab ride of debauchery. My passions are live music, local restaurants, eco-friendly living, urban environments and anything unique and creative.
Richard South
Living in Charlotte today has never been better. By naming this place my home, I wish to share what I have learned, observed, and crafted. Training as a student of architecture, an artisan, and designer has led me to perceive the world and cities much differently than ever in my memory. With CLT Blog, my intent is to enrich community, strengthen perception, increase knowledge, and empower. Go out and become an urban explorer and make discoveries. To find more about me + see my work, navigate here.
More to Come
We have more people on the way, and we can still use more. Interested in contributing to CLT Blog? Drop us a line.