Team Members

Patti Siegel joined ArtsATL in 2020 bringing 30+ years in advertising, strategic planning and digital content working with nonprofits including the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, American Cancer Society and CARE. Patti is a longtime arts volunteer serving on the boards of Working Title Playwrights, Theatrical Outfit and Synchronicity Theatre.

Shane Harrison spent 34 years at The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, retiring as the arts and entertainment editor at the end of 2024. Those three-plus decades included covering Atlanta’s music scene, working in digital production and producing and hosting a weekly podcast. He lives in Clarkston.

Isadora Pennington is Senior Editor of Art + Design and Dance. An experienced writer and photographer with a deep love for the arts, Isadora founded the Sketchbook newsletter with Rough Draft Atlanta in 2022. She is also President of the Avondale Arts Alliance and Director of the Avondale Arts Center.

Denise K. James is senior editor for Theater and Film+TV. A native of South Carolina, she earned a Master’s from the College of Charleston and relocated to Atlanta in 2021. Denise enjoys exploring the city, attending arts events, reading, cooking and traveling. Her writing appears in numerous publications.

Jeff Abbott brings more than three decades of experience as a Media Director at several Atlanta advertising agencies. A devoted enthusiast of popular culture, Jeff is passionate about aligning client needs with opportunities to support Atlanta’s vibrant arts scene.

Jesi Hooper infuses storytelling into her work with a Bachelor’s in English: Creative Writing. A transplant, Jesi loves creating content to spotlight exploring ATL like a Local! She’s collaborated with many of Atlanta’s small businesses. 

Jim covers theater and film for ArtsATL. A graduate of the University of Georgia, he’s written about the arts for 30+ years. Jim is the festival director of Out on Film, Atlanta’s LGBTQ film festival. He lives in Avondale Estates with his husband, Craig, and dog Douglas.

Benjamin Carr has contributed to ArtsATL since 2019 and is a member of the American Theatre Critics Association, the Dramatists Guild and the Atlanta Press Club. His writing has been featured in podcasts for iHeartMedia and onstage as part of the Samuel French Off-Off Broadway Short Play Festival.

Cynthia, a citizen of the Chickasaw Nation, began writing for ArtsATL in 2009 and has also contributed to Dance Magazine, Dance International and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. In 2017, Perry earned an M.F.A. in narrative media writing from the University of Georgia.

Kelundra is a critic and arts journalist whose mission is to connect people to cultural experiences and each other. Her work appears in The New York Times, Food & Wine, American Theatre and elsewhere. She is a member of the American Theatre Critics Association. Twitter: @pieceofkay | Instagram: @anotherpieceofkay.