Meet our Team

Steve Bohnel joined Bethesda Beat in 2021. He is from Doylestown, Pennsylvania, a suburb about 30 miles north of Philadelphia. After graduating from Temple University in 2017, he moved to the Midwest to work for the Globe Gazette, a small newspaper in Mason City, Iowa. His most recent job prior to Bethesda Beat was at The Frederick News-Post in Frederick, where he predominantly covered county government. 

A western Nebraska native, Caitlynn Peetz started at Bethesda Beat in 2018, covering education and development. She previously covered local news in and around Mitchell, South Dakota. While studying at Dakota Wesleyan University and later at South Dakota State University, she participated in a journalism program through USA Today, writing about student life. 

A veteran reporter and editor, Julie Rasicot has worked on the staff of newspapers in Connecticut and Massachusetts and in Montgomery County. As a freelancer, she wrote or edited for a variety of publications, including for The Washington Post for 12 years and Bethesda Magazine since shortly after its inception. She also served as the first managing editor of Bethesda Beat. She has lived in Silver Spring with her family since 1995. 

Dan Schere joined the Bethesda Beat staff in 2018. He first covered county government and now reports on police, courts, emergency services, restaurants and retail. Previously, Schere was a reporter with Washington Jewish Week and Baltimore Jewish Times. A North Carolina native, Schere graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill in 2014. 

Arlis Dellapa has been working in the publishing business for almost 20 years, working for The Washington Times and Hanley-Wood Publishing before joining Bethesda Magazine. She has been with the company since 2014, helping businesses meet their marketing goals through evolving digital and print platforms. Originally from Huntsville, Alabama, Dellapa graduated from Auburn University with a degree in marketing and is often heard saying “War Eagle!” She has two daughters, Grace and Sarah, and lives in Rockville with her husband, Mike, and three “pandemic kittens” who are taking over the house. 

Ashley Fletcher joined the Bethesda Magazine and Bethesda Beat staff in December 2021. Born and raised in Springboro, Ohio, Fletcher graduated from the University of Mississippi in 2016. She is responsible for virtual and in-person marketing events as well as the marketing plans leading up to them. Fletcher loves trying new restaurants in the DMV area with friends and traveling to Florida to spend time with family.  

Shelley Golinsky has over 15 years of advertising sales and business development experience with companies including Cypress Magazines, Home and Design, Niche Media and Wachovia Securities. She has a true passion for helping businesses build their brand and increase sales. She graduated from Elon University with a degree in business administration and marketing. Golinsky resides in Olney with her husband and two children. Some of her favorite activities include fitness and playing tennis and she loves to travel and spend time with her family. 

Mel Korobkin joined the Bethesda Magazine team in August 2021 and works with advertisers, the production team and the sales team. With a background in events, she has worked with local businesses to build their brands and bring the community together. Korobkin was raised in Howard County and moved back to the area after graduating from College of Charleston with a degree in sociology and communications. Korobkin is expecting her first child and lives in Bethesda with her husband and dog. She loves exploring new restaurants in the area, traveling and spending time with loved ones.  

Leigh McDonald joined the company in 2018. She oversees the digital platforms and products, as well as audience development and engagement initiatives. She also manages the newsroom’s membership program. An Annapolis native, McDonald earned her undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Maryland. She freelanced as a multidisciplinary writer and producer before working in branded entertainment and marketing for Warner Bros. Discovery. McDonald has been a Silver Spring resident since 2014. 

LuAnne “Lu” Slagle Spurrell, has over 30 years of advertising and marketing experience with companies including Mead Data Central and Congressional Quarterly. She is passionate about her clients and loves to help them achieve their goals. Spurrell is an avid VOL fan who graduated from the University of Tennessee. She resides in Bethesda with her husband, and has two grown daughters, Evan, an architect in Colorado, and Megan, an emergency room doctor in Virginia Beach. Spurrell enjoys playing golf, hiking and traveling. She also loves to spend time at the family’s river cabin in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. 

Erin Roby joined the Bethesda Magazine and Bethesda Beat staff in August 2019. She has eight years of digital content experience. Roby manages website, newsletter and digital advertising operations, as well as digital analytics. Roby was born and raised in Huntington, West Virginia, and graduated from the University of Maryland in 2015. She loves reading, traveling, baseball and Elvis, whom her daughter is named after. 

Amélie Ward joined the Bethesda Magazine and Bethesda Beat staff in 2017 working in web production, marketing and events before assuming her current role in 2021. As the director of advertising operations, she is responsible for the management of all print and digital ads. After graduating from Denison University in Ohio in 2013, Ward moved to Washington, D.C., to work at Sibley Memorial Hospital in marketing and communications. Originally from Westport, Connecticut, Ward resides in Annapolis with her husband, Greg, and daughter, Madeline.  

Onecia Ribeiro has been with Bethesda Magazine since 2015 and manages customer service and print magazine subscriptions. Born and raised in India, Ribeiro graduated with a finance degree and spent several years in Dubai and London. She lives in Potomac with her husband and three sons, and enjoys traveling, exploring varied cuisines and spending time with family and friends. 

Chessie Williams is the human resources consultant for Bethesda Magazine and Bethesda Beat. She has over 15 years of industry experience and holds a masters degree in human resources. Previously, Williams worked for Hercules Real Estate Services, Lowes and Hyatt Hotels & Resorts. She prides herself in impacting the lives of others and has a passion for people and helping small businesses.