TheLoop21.com

 Darrell Williams, Publisher, dwilliams (at) theloop21 (dot) com

Darrell Williams is an economist whose career spans academic, government and business. For more than a decade, he's advised Fortune 500 companies and government agencies on business strategy, competition policy and economic regulation, first as a partner at Economic Analysis LLC, then as a Director at global consulting firm LECG LLC. As an economics professor at UCLA, he focused on methods to help students understand and apply economics in their jobs and in their daily decision-making. Darrell began his professional career in Washington D.C. at the President's Council of Economic Advisors and worked on financial markets while in the Office of the Chief Economist at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Crystal P. Smith, Senior Editor and Writer, crystal (at) theloop21 (dot) com

Crystal P. Smith has a Master's in print journalism from New York University and an undergraduate degree from UCLA's School of Film and Television. She worked at GIANT Magazine and ESSENCE Magazine while in school, but it wasn't until a summer in Ghana that she realized her passion for journalism. She does copywriting work for the web and is currently working on an original novel of fiction.

 Devona Walker, Senior Reporter and Blogger, devona (at) theloop21 (dot) com

Devona Walker is a veteran print journalist. She graduated from the University of Missouri at Columbia's Journalism School. She helped found a daily community newspaper in the Bay Area. She has worked for The Associated Press and the New York Times Company. She specializes in Business, Politics, Economic Development and Immigration. She currently lives in Columbia, Missouri with her six-year-old son. She is working on a Master's in Public Policy and her first book.

 Alyssa Giachino, Money/Politics Editor and Economics Writer, alyssa (at) theloop21 (dot) com

Alyssa Giachino is a bilingual journalist who has written stories on politics, economics, immigration, the environment and labor. She has reported from New York City, New Jersey, California and Mexico City. She has a master's in journalism from New York University.

 Annie Gldzhyan, Editorial Assistant, annie (at) theloop21 (dot) com

Annie Gldzhyan is working on her Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism with a minor in  Psychology at California State University, Northridge. Raised in Los Angeles, she has a wide range of  goals. She has an open mind about where her experience will lead her, but she definitely hopes to write books in the future.

 Cindy Barnes-Thomas, Contributor, cindy (at) theloop21 (dot) com

Cindy Barnes-Thomas has over 10 years of experience in journalism and law. She has written for daily newspapers, trade publications and legal digests. She has worked as a public relations, legal and media consultant. Cindy is a graduate of Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University and The Ohio State University College of Law. Her work has been published in The Dayton Daily News, The Virginian-Pilot/Ledger-Star, BNA’s Environmental Compliance Bulletin and Texas Environmental Compliance Bulletin. She currently works as a consultant and is working on her first novel.

 Cassye Cook, Contributor, cassye (at) theloop21 (dot) com

Cassye D. Cook is a speaker and writer that has dedicated herself to service and leadership. Her work has been published in Urban Influence Magazine and NUL’s State of Black America Report. Cassye also works with non-profit organizations to assist in building young professional service models and is currently working on a campaign to encourage new philanthropy for the 21st century to Generation X. She is the Immediate Past President of the National Urban League Young Professionals. Cassye earned a B.A. in Business Administration/Marketing from Clark Atlanta University and a J.D. from Thurgood Marshall School of Law.

 Keli Goff, Contributor, keli (at) theloop21 (dot) com

As an expert on youth and minority voters Keli Goff emerged as one of the most recognizable political pundits of the 2008 presidential election cycle appearing on numerous national programs including: “The CBS Early Show,” CNN’s “Anderson Cooper 360,” and BET’s “The Truth with Jeff Johnson”. She is the author of the critically acclaimed book Party Crashing: How the Hip-Hop Generation Declared Political Independence. Keli is a regular contributor to The Huffington Post and previously served as an editorial contributor to RushmoreDrive.com. Her writing has also appeared in TIME and UPTOWN Magazines. Keli holds a B.A. from New York University and a Master’s degree in Strategic Communications from Columbia University.

 Jamelle Bouie, Contributor, Jamelle (at) theloop21 (dot) com

Jamelle Bouie is a political blogger and writing fellow at the American Prospect.  He recently graduated from the University of Virginia with a degree in government, and his writing focuses on politics and public policy.

 Marvin King, Contributor, marvin (at) theloop21 (dot) com

Mavin King received his Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of North Texas. He is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of Mississippi and has a joint appointment with the African American Studies Department. He conducts research into how political institutions affect African American politics. His research has appeared in the National Political Science Review, Publius, the Journal of Black Studies and Souls. Additionally, he blogs at King Politics.com and is available for public speaking engagements.

 Kam Williams, Contributor, kam (at) theloop21 (dot) com

Voted Most Outstanding Journalist of the Decade by the Disilgold Soul Literary Review in 2008, Kam Williams is a syndicated film and book critic who writes for 100+ publications around the U.S., Europe, Asia, Africa, Canada and the Caribbean. He is a member of the New York Film Critics Online, the NAACP Image Awards Nominating Committee, and Rotten Tomatoes. In addition to a BA in Black Studies from Cornell, he has an MA in English from Brown, an MBA from The Wharton School, and a JD from Boston University. Kam lives in Princeton, NJ with his wife and son.

 Boyce Watkins, Contributor, drboycewatkins (at) theloop21 (dot) com

Dr. Boyce Watkins is a Finance Professor at Syracuse University and author of “Financial Lovemaking 101: Merging Assets with Your Partner in Ways that Feel Good.” For more information, please visit www.BoyceWatkins.com

 Shanon D. Murray, Contributor, shanon (at) theloop21 (dot) com

Shanon D. Murray has worked in finance journalism for a dozen years, first as a small business reporter for The (Baltimore) Sun and finally as a reporter and senior editor in the Washington, D.C., office of The Deal, a New York-based financial media company. Shanon has earned her MBA at the University of Maryland, and is currently a public affairs professional in Washington in the financial services industry.