Meet the Team
Rob Smith | Executive Editor
Born and bred in Portland, Rob graduated from the University of Oregon with a degree in political science. After a brief, unsatisfying stint in politics, Rob began freelancing for local publications, eventually landing a job as a cops and courts reporter for a Seattle newspaper. “I had no other skills, so I became a journalist!” Rob has since served as editor at the Times Community News Group, the Portland and Puget Sound Business Journals, and Seattle magazine/Seattle Business magazine. He also helped real estate data firm CoStar launch a startup newsroom. As much as anything, Rob likes getting paid to be nosy.
Britt Thorson | Managing Editor
Britt is a Seattle-born editor and storyteller with over a decade of experience in digital media. In addition to her work with Formidable, she’s the Digital Editor at Seattle’s Child Magazine, where she covers family life and community through a local lens. Writing in both spaces allows Britt to explore the overlap between parenthood and high-achieving women — and to learn from the tensions, tradeoffs, and insights that come from living in both. Outside of work, Britt lives in South Seattle with her wife, toddler, and dog, and spends her time rediscovering a city she thought she knew well, now through a kid-friendly lens.
Cambria Juarez | Editor
Cambrie has over a decade of experience crafting a wide range of stories for the digital media landscape. She’s passionate about examining the underreported aspects of humanitarian and environmental issues, primarily by sharing the unfiltered testimonies of individuals with firsthand experience. When she’s not in front of a computer, Cambrie enjoys hunting for the perfect cup of chai tea, riding her horse Halo, and gardening, which is an obsession handed down to her by her beloved grandma.
Ben McBee | Editor, Explore PNW
As a lifelong resident of the Pacific Northwest, Ben counts himself lucky to be able to share his love for the region by writing for ExplorePNW. He roots for the Ducks, got married on the Washington side of the Columbia Gorge, grew up rafting the Rogue River, and enjoys nothing more than playing tour guide when someone’s visiting Portland. Some of his favorite topics to cover are our incredible food scene, the outstanding outdoor recreation, and how local businesses innovate in the face of challenges. When he’s not typing up the latest story, he’s probably on a neighborhood walk with his wife, daughter, and pup named Liv.
Shayna Weldon | Head of Operations
Shayna Weldon brings curiosity and care to her work helping mission-driven organizations navigate complexity with clarity and empathy. She began her career helping survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking while supporting at-risk youth and first-generation college students. Her academic path has wound through literature, business, and health sciences, giving her a wide-angle view of how people and systems function. Originally from the Midwest, Shayna has (mostly) embraced Seattle life, learning to leave her umbrella at home and accepting that thunderstorms here are more folklore than forecast.
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