Meet the Strategist’s Team
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Every product that appears on the Strategist has been independently selected by our rather obsessive staff (and you can read more about our editorial guidelineshere). That means our mighty team of journalists is constantly testing products, interviewing experts and people with good taste for recommendations, tracking trends and launches, and keeping one eye open for actually good deals. We’re constantly chatting among ourselves, sharing shopping tips and one-of-a-kind finds. We’ve even created a Slack channel, called #strat-chats, for the express purpose of talking about the things we’re most excited to buy.
Each of our writers has deep expertise and experience around their subject matter, and their knowledge often extends far beyond what they’re doing at work. (Take, for example, our fitness writer, who logged over 1,900 miles of running last year, or our travel writer, who dabbled in van life for eight months.) And though we always endeavor to show our work in our guides and reviews, here, we wanted to take a moment to show off the people behind the product recommendations.
Arielle is a writer covering wardrobe basics and personal care, and she regularly contributes toThe Strategist Beauty Brief. Arielle joined the Strategist in 2020 and previously wrote about style atTexas Monthly. She’s tested showerhead water filters,electric toothbrushes, andwater flossers(and thinks you don’t need to spend more than $100 — or even $50 — on abidetto change your life).
Find all of Arielle’s workhere.
Read how Arielle picks her pickshere.
Liza is a senior writer covering personal care and gear for kids and babies, especially toys. She joined the Strategist in 2019 and is a former writer forGQand an accomplished illustrator. Liza used to be a French teacher at a Waldorf school, and she has a soft spot for wooden fake food and Sylvanian Families sets.
Find all of Liza’s workhere.
Read how Liza picks her pickshere.
Sam is the Strategist’s deals editor and combs the internet for greatsalesevery day as well as on major shopping events like Black Friday and Amazon Prime Day. She was formerly the shop editor forDwell. According to Sam, if it’s less than 15 percent off, it’s not really on sale.
Find all of Sam’s workhere.
Read how Sam picks her pickshere.
Tembe has been a writer at the Strategist since 2020, covering beauty. She previously wrote about beauty and culture forNylonandElle,and she is the author of the novelHomebodies. Tembe regularly contributes toThe Strategist Beauty Briefand has amassed so many beauty products over the years, she built an Ikea Pax system to store them all.
Find all of Tembe’s workhere.
Read how Tembe picks her pickshere.
Bella is a junior writer, writing about sales, fashion, and home goods. She previously wrote about gifts at ShopToday.Bella has gone deep into the Strategist’s archives to research theunderwear,fragrances, and comfortable shoes that famous people actually use.
Find all of Bella’s workhere.
Read how Bella picks her pickshere.
Katherine is a writer who covers travel and outdoor essentials, including gear for cycling, hiking, and enjoying time outside. She has been an expat in the United States for six years, including eight months living in a van around California and the Southwest, and she flies a lot (usually wearing her Manta sleep mask). She was previously an editor atPaper.
Find all of Katherine’s workhere.
Read how Katherine picks her pickshere.
Brenley joined the Strategist as a junior writer in 2022, after interning at the site. She writes about beauty, especially bath and body products, and men’s and women’s fashion. Brenley has a knack for discovering surprisingly useful devices, like aheadlamp beaniefor late-night runs, an easy-to-cleanmakeup case, and a gadget that takes the tops offaluminum cans.
Find all of Brenley’s workhere.
Read how Brenley picks her pickshere.
Kitty is a writer covering beauty, especially makeup, fashion, and gifts. She estimatesshe has tried over 50 mascaras in her lifetime and believes a good hair dryer can change your life. Kitty also regularly contributes toThe Strategist Beauty Brief.
Find all of Kitty’s workhere.
Read how Kitty picks her pickshere.
Amelia is the Strategist’s sleep writer, covering mattresses, pillows, and other stuff you need to sleep better. She has been writing about sleep products since 2021, previously as a senior staff writer for Sleepopolis. Amelia estimates she’s laid on over 50 mattresses over the past three years, including her own (a Serta Arctic, ideal for back- and side-sleepers).
Find all of Amelia’s workhere.
Read how Amelia picks her pickshere.
Jordan is the Strategist’s tech writer, and he covers a wide array of gadgets and how software can help build better relationships with technology in our lives. He’s been covering technology since 2017 and has also written forWired, Wirecutter, and Reviewed.com. Jordan thinks more people would be into e-readers if they gave them a chance. (He’s personally tested ten.)
Find all of Jordan’s workhere.
Read how Jordan picks his pickshere.
Ambar covers women’s fashion, including apparel, sleepwear, shoes, and jewelry. She joined the Strategist as a writer in 2021, and before that worked at NBC and HuffPost. Ambar has a row ofCommando bikinisat the very top of her underwear drawer and maintains a vendetta againstvermeil. (Just buy the solid gold.)
Find all of Ambar’s workhere.
Read how Ambar picks her pickshere.
Dominique has been a writer at the Strategist since 2018. She covers wellness, including sex toys and home-office goods; beauty, especially hair tools; and home-bar essentials. She has tested over 20 curling irons, blow-dryers, and straighteners, and contributes toThe Strategist Beauty Brief. Dominique is also a writer for “The Approval Matrix.”
Find all of Dominique’s workhere.
Read how Dominique picks her pickshere.
Lauren joined the Strategist as a writer in 2018. She covers almost everything related to the home, including design moments, baby gear, and all the best bedding. She’s tested 12 towels and 22 sets of bedding, and she thinks linen is best for duvet covers. Lauren was previously an associate editor at Curbed.
Find all of Lauren’s workhere.
Read how Lauren picks her pickshere.
Jeremy is an associate editor who edits the print section, including“The Look Book,” and stories on wellness and style for the site. He has been on staff since 2022 and was previously a writer at the Strategist covering fitness and outdoor gear. He was previously an editor atOutside. He’s tested over two dozen pairs of running shoes in the last two years and has run over 1,900 miles in those shoes, including 13 races in 2023 (from 5Ks to half-marathons).
Find all of Jeremy’s workhere.
Read how Jeremy picks his pickshere.
Erin is a writer who covers home décor and furniture. They previously worked as an editor atGaragemagazine and reviewed TV, movies, and books forThe Nation. They’ve installed 58 square feet of pegboards in their home and use project-management software for home-DIY projects.
Find all of Erin’s workhere.
Read how Erin picks their pickshere.
Emma is the Strategist’s kitchen and dining writer. She has worked in food media for over nine years, including as an editor atBon Appétit. She writes a column for Eater on easy weeknight meals for one called “Single Serving” — and she has sliced, diced, chopped, and carved with probably close to 50 different knives.
Find all of Emma’s workhere.
Read how Emma picks her pickshere.
Ashley is the Strategist’s newsletter editor. She has ten years of experience overseeing newsletter strategy for publications includingVanity Fair,Wired,Teen Vogue, Them, Atlas Obscura,andThe Spruce.She has written about running gear, TV, music, and travel for publications including Vulture,Teen Vogue, Self, Lonely Planet, Fodor’s,andTripSavvy.
To read more of Ashley’s work, sign up for the Strategist’s email newsletterhere. You can also find some of Ashley’s workhere.
The Strategistis designed to surface the most useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Some of our latest conquests include the bestacne treatments,rolling luggage,pillows for side sleepers,natural anxiety remedies, andbath towels. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.
