I joined Firebrand Media in 2006, shortly after Steve Zepezauer started the then-small company. A few months later, we were launching Laguna Beach Magazine. I had never been part of a magazine launch before, and it was an exciting time. We hit the streets, literally, talking to community members and taking photos. I have loved every issue since—40 to be exact—uncovering new layers of Laguna and meeting interesting, talented and passionate people.
Over the years, Laguna Beach Magazine grew from four issues a year to eight, won two Western Publishing Association Maggie Awards for Best City Magazine and continued to capture this multifaceted town in new ways with compelling writing, outstanding photography and beautiful design. Of all the magazines I’ve worked on and helped launch, Laguna remained my baby. We’ve traveled the world together, said goodbye to a great friend—founding editor Moira C. Reeve—and had many wonderful experiences and interesting discoveries.
It’s hard to leave something you love, but as I write this letter, I am packing for my next grand adventure: a move to Wyoming. While the sandy shores of Southern California have been my home for most of my life, the wide expanses of the high plains—and a return to academia at the University of Wyoming—are calling.
It’s been an amazing seven years here, and Steve will continue to expertly shepherd the magazine as it celebrates and explores this vibrant community. With Laguna Beach Magazine, there’s never a shortage of great ideas for articles, and I have no doubt the magazine will continue to flourish.
I bid you a fond farewell and thank you for all the memories. Here’s to many more great tales!
Sincerely,
Micaela Myers
