Meet our freelance authors & contributors

Alana Luna (Musselman) is a versatile storyteller with over a decade of writing experience. She is passionate about helping people build their business through unique and engaging content. Some examples of her current freelance projects include building content strategies for small businesses, completing industry research to build case studies, crafting buyer guides and more. She has a passion and keen ability to simplify complex ideas through storytelling to make it easier for readers to understand hard-to-digest information. To accomplish this, Alana's writing holds strong three principles – content that educates, engages and entertains.

Bea Johnson is a personal finance and marketing writer who covers topics ranging from insurance and annuities to credit cards and business budgeting. With a firm focus on providing in-depth analysis, Johnson breaks things down in an understandable way to inform her readers of their options and help them find solutions that work for their lifestyles.

Blake Esken has over 15 years of experience in product management and has been a member of the Los Angeles Times staff for over five years. As part of his role at the Los Angeles Times Commerce Team, Blake acts as the **in-house reviewer and fact checker** for LA Times Compare. He supervises all content for compliance and accuracy and puts to use skills he has honed through years of experience managing high-stakes projects for a range of industry-leading companies. He has a strong background in data analysis, compliance, and communication, which allows him to support LA Times Compare through fact-checking in an effort to provide up-to-date and factual information across our content.

Carrie O'Connell is a prolific writer specializing in consumer finance and credit cards. Her extensive portfolio includes content for prominent clients such as *First American Bank*, *American Savings Bank Hawaii*, *Smartfinancial.com*, *Trustedcompanyreviews.com*, *United Debt Settlement*, *Ways to Wealth*, and *Investorade*.  Carrie's writing covers a wide range of topics, from credit card reviews and approval strategies to maximizing credit card benefits and navigating credit card use during economic downturns. Her expertise helps readers make informed decisions about their personal finance and credit card choices.

Christy Montour is a seasoned finance writer with extensive experience in explaining a wide range of investment types, retirement accounts, and insurance products. With a background in taxation from law school, Christy possesses a deep knowledge of tax strategies and the tax code.  Christy has written thousands of blogs for clients on finance and investment topics. She covers a wide range of subjects, from the Offshore Voluntary Disclosure Program to IRS installment plans, offers-in-compromise, tax liens, levies, and criminal tax issues such as tax evasion and fraud. Christy’s expertise allows her to break down complex financial topics into clear, accessible content for her readers.

Doctor Stephanie Liff is an active contributor to LA Times Compare offering expert commentary and quotes to help guide our readers. Doctor Liff holds a Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine from the University of Florida and is the owner and Medical Director of [Pure Paws Veterinary Care](https://www.purepawsvet.com/doctors/dr-stephanie-liff/) veterinary clinic in New York City. With over 15 years of experience as a practicing veterinarian, she sees over 5,000 pet patients annually and has first-hand knowledge of the scenarios customers face when visiting the vet. Her quotes offer powerful knowledge and insight into animal health and pet insurance best practices for consumers. Through her experience and expertise, she explains how best to leverage pet insurance to ensure your pet gets the coverage that they need, to ensure the vet bill gets covered, and to ensure that you aren't left out of pocket.

Elizabeth Smith is an experienced travel and finance writer who specializes in topics including credit cards, travel insurance, and personal finance. Travel insurance, in particular, has both professional and personal significance for Smith. She’s traveled to 73 countries, and has extensive experience choosing and using various policies — she understands how valuable the right plan can be in an emergency, and loves to help readers find the perfect fit. Smith comes to the world of finance from a scientific and technical background. She spent more than 10 years writing about engineering, science, and technology for universities and private companies. When she’s not writing or traveling, Smith can usually be found hiking or Nordic skiing.

Hayley Harrison is an active personal finance contributor for LA Times Compare. She is passionate about helping consumers make informed financial decisions and achieve their financial goals by simplifying complex topics relating to insurance and personal finance. Hayley brings first-hand knowledge of the finance industry thanks to her previous experience as a branch manager for a mid-sized regional bank and as a licensed accident and health insurance agent.

Holly D. Johnson is an award-winning personal finance writer who covers topics like insurance, investing, credit and family finance. As a leading voice in the travel and loyalty space, Johnson has traveled with her family to more than 50 countries over the last decade. The author has also written extensively on the power of household budgeting, and she even co-authored a book on the topic. *Zero Down Your Debt: Reclaim Your Income and Build a Life You'll Love* was originally published in 2017, and it teaches families how to use zero-sum budgeting to reach their financial goals. She is also the co-owner and founder of the family finance and travel website, ClubThrifty.com. Johnson's 10+ years of writing have focused on helping families make important financial decisions at each stage of their lives. The author also applies the financial principles she teaches to her own life, and she is currently on track to retire in her late 40's with her partner. She currently lives in Central Indiana with her husband and children, and she is a regular contributor for Bankrate, CNN, Forbes, U.S. News and World Report Travel and many other notable publications.

Imogen Sharma is an experienced writer, specializing in business, culture, and financial guidance for young adults. She has contributed to articles for *Varo Bank*, *Lendzi*, *MoneyTips* and *Indeed*, providing invaluable insights into budgeting, financial planning, and lines of credit. As a dedicated self-employed writer, she cherishes the opportunity to share her knowledge and experience with others, offering advice so they can master their bank accounts and secure their financial futures. Her articles, published in *CMSWire*, *Reworked*, *WalletGenius* and *The Customer*, serve as actionable guides to help people make solid financial decisions. Prior to her writing career, Imogen honed her financial acumen in management roles, excelling in P&L analysis, budgeting and HR. During her tenure at Smith & Wollensky in London, her strategic contributions contributed to a 2% increase in EBITDA over a year, demonstrating her ability to drive financial performance and organizational success. Imogen's writing style combines expertise with accessibility, making complex financial topics easily understandable and actionable. With a focus on the long game, she encourages readers to approach financial matters with enthusiasm and determination.

Jaiden Hart serves as a credit card writer and content manager at LA Times Compare. Beginning her career as an intern on the Compare team, she has since amassed considerable expertise and passion in the credit card industry.  Jaiden's primary objective is to simplify the process of choosing and managing a credit card through engaging and honest content so individuals can more effectively maximize their benefits and meet their financial goals.

Kiah Treece is a business finance expert with more than five years of editorial experience. Through her experience as a small business owner, real estate investor, and lawyer, she's knowledgeable in the areas of banking, loans, financing, and insurance for small businesses. Her first-hand experience has enabled her to break down complex financial topics to help consumers make informed decisions so they can spend their money wisely.

Kimberly Varvel brings over 12 years of experience in commercial real estate finance, specializing in loan processing, underwriting, and sales. With more than five years as a licensed real estate professional and over 14 years as a professional freelance writer, Kimberly has a unique blend of practical experience and writing expertise. Her comprehensive knowledge in the real estate sector enables her to provide insightful, accurate, and engaging content that helps readers navigate the complexities of commercial real estate finance.

Leigh Morgan is a seasoned personal finance contributor with over 15 years of experience writing on a diverse range of professional legal and financial topics. She specializes in subjects like navigating the complexities of insurance, savings, zero-based budgeting and emergency fund development. In the last five years, she's authored over 300 articles for credit unions, digital banks, and financial professionals. Morgan is also the author of "77 Tips for Preventing Elder Financial Abuse," a book focused on helping caregivers protect the elderly from financial scams. In addition to her writing skills, she brings real-world financial acumen thanks to her previous experience managing rental properties as part of a $34 million real estate portfolio.

With specialized expertise in medical insurance, Lisa Koosis served as a Senior Claims Specialist focusing on radiology services for a premier managed care organization. Due to her experience and knowledge, she has served as a subject matter expert for multiple insurance-focused articles. She has also written hundreds of articles covering a variety of insurance topics for multiple online publications. Although now a traditionally published author, Lisa continues to keep abreast of developments and news in the insurance industry.

Max Nelson is a third-party fact checker for LA Times Compare. At his day job, he is a verified risk and claims management leader with decades of experience in workers' compensation and business insurance regulations. Professionally, he has held directorial and executive roles at insurance companies, notably at AAA Arizona, where he successfully managed claims and implemented risk management strategies as General Manager of Loss Control & Claims.

Sarah Stasik is well versed in personal finance thanks to her previous role as a Revenue Cycle Manager for a Fortune 500 healthcare company. Using her inside knowledge and expertise, Sarah often covers topics ranging from insurance and the economics of private healthcare to personal finance and small business management. With more than a dozen years of writing experience, Sarah has tackled niches that range from technical advances in fintech to personal budgeting challenges. She has covered topics such as insurance and the economics of private healthcare, small business management and accounting, and credit and savings. Her writing focuses on making complex or seemingly daunting financial topics more accessible and providing helpful and relevant resources for readers.

The comparison team is a proud partner of the LA Times and is a combination of expert freelance writers, editors, and contributors specially selected for their extensive experience writing and working in the financial industry. Every article written is thoroughly researched, edited, reviewed, and then fact-checked by a member of The LA Times Business Development staff before publication to ensure you receive accurate information.