About Us
We’re changing the face of local journalism by providing an innovative model for delivering independent news to the nation’s 10th largest city.
Our Mission
San José Spotlight is the city’s first nonprofit news organization dedicated to independent political and business reporting. Our mission is to change the face of local journalism by building a community-supported newsroom that ignites civic engagement, educates citizens and strengthens our democracy.
Our community needs another voice, an alternate source for high-quality, independent local news. Our stories will search for truth, shed light on wrongdoing and hold the powerful accountable. We are the community’s newsroom and we’re powered by your support and donations.
San José Spotlight is a project of the San José News Bureau, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization | Tax ID: 82-5355128. San José Spotlight is fiscally sponsored by the Institute for Nonprofit News | Tax ID: 27-2614911. All donations are tax deductible.
Photo credit: Andy Nguyen
Our Team
From left to right: Josh Barousse, Ramona Giwargis, Carina Woudenberg, Nadia Lopez, Grace Hase, Kyle Martin
Editorial Independence Policy
We adhere to the editorial independence policy adopted by the Institute for Nonprofit News.
San José Spotlight relies on donations and memberships to power our nonprofit newsroom, but our organization maintains editorial control of the coverage. Donors and sponsors have no influence over our content. Donors have no involvement in news decisions and we do not give supporters the rights to assign, review or edit content.
News judgments are made independently and not on the basis of donor support. Your trust is the cornerstone of San José Spotlight’s success. We’ll always maintain a firewall between news coverage decisions and sources of all revenue.
Donor Transparency
We are committed to transparency in every aspect of funding our organization. That’s why we disclose every penny donated to San José Spotlight.
We accept gifts, grants and sponsorships from individuals, organizations and foundations to support our work. Accepting financial support does not mean we endorse donors or their products, services or opinions.
We will not accept donations from sources who, deemed by our Board of Directors, present a conflict of interest with our work or compromise our independence.
| San José Spotlight Donors | Amount |
|---|---|
| Santa Clara Valley Water District | $16000 |
| The Davidson Family Foundation | $10000 |
| Pat Waite | $5000 |
| Jackson and Main | $5000 |
| Jenny Wolfes (event sponsor) | $5000 |
| Ron Gonzales and Guisselle Nunez (event sponsor) | $4810 |
| Marquis Advisory Group | $4000 |
| Rich Robinson | $2500 |
| Norm Kline | $2500 |
| Rick Callender | $2500 |
| McManis Faulkner | $2500 |
| David E. Cohen | $2500 |
| Nicole and Sean Morley | $2500 |
| Voler Strategic Advisors | $2500 |
| Gary Kremen | $2000 |
| Cafe Stritch | $2000 event sponsor |
| Ted Smith and Amanda Hawes | $1800 |
| The Core Companies | $1500 |
| Kaiser Permanente | $1200 |
| Erik Schoennauer | $1000 |
| Terry Christensen | $1000 |
| UA Local 393 | $1000 |
| Harmeet Dhillon | $1000 |
| Al and Carmen Castellano | $1000 |
| Ash and Bianca Pirayou | $1000 |
| LIUNA Local 270 | $1000 |
| Sam Singer | $1000 |
| Geoff and Andrea Ralston | $1000 |
| Nunez Community Foundation | $1000 |
| Patricia Gardner | $550 |
| David and Elisa Ginsborg | $550 |
| Meri Maben | $500 |
| Rich De La Rosa | $500 |
| Bob Staedler | $500 |
| Leslye Corsiglia | $500 |
| Robert Handa | $500 |
| Teresa Alvarado | $300 |
| Armando Gomez | $300 |
| Ruth Silver Taube | $275 |
| Dave and Pattie Cortese | $250 |
| Doug Greven | $250 |
| Josh Becker | $250 |
| Josh Burroughs | $250 |
| Barbara and John Comiskey | $240 |
| Ray Bramson | $225 |
| Chris Roth | $220 |
| Tara Sreekrishnan | $200 |
| Xavier Campos | $200 |
| Otto Lee | $200 |
| Steve Borkenhagen | $200 |
| Joe Head | $200 |
| Jodi Nunes | $200 |
| Rob Bettencourt | $200 |
| Jennifer Tonnis | $200 |
| Derecka Mehrens | $180 |
| Wendy Ho | $150 |
| Dianna Zamora-Marroquin | $150 |
| Kevin Zwick | $150 |
| Diane Ritchie | $150 |
| Louise Auerhahn | $150 |
| Sheril Woodburn | $140 |
| Sam Ho | $135 |
| Carol Stephensen | $125 |
| Susan Frank | $125 |
| Roseanne Compitello | $125 |
| Daniel Reyes | $125 |
| Jon Graff | $120 |
| Jorge Vittes | $120 |
| Alan Hase | $120 |
| Victor Gomez | $100 |
| Jerry Strangis | $100 |
| Ben Field | $100 |
| Gabriel Montes | $100 |
| Michele Hatfield | $100 |
| Jesus Flores | $100 |
| John Mukhar | $100 |
| Megan Roehl | $100 |
| Allison Brunner | $100 |
| Patrick Heisinger | $100 |
| Rich Tran | $100 |
| Don Rocha | $100 |
| Mickey Mericle | $100 |
| Michele Lew | $100 |
| Mary Gloner | $100 |
| CEMA | $100 |
| David & Karen Martin-Keller | $100 |
| Michael Mulcahy | $100 |
| Jason Shueh | $100 |
| Steve Aponte | $100 |
| Michelle Rindels | $100 |
| Anna Marie Cruz | $100 |
| Catherine Matsuyo Tomkinson | $100 |
| Nuria Fernandez | $100 |
| Geoff Morgan | $100 |
| Angel Islas | $100 |
| Rogelio Ruiz | $100 |
| Shiloh Ballard | $100 |
| Chuck Reed | $100 |
| Andrea Perry | $100 |
| Maya Esparza | $100 |
| Dorsey Moore | $100 |
| Sean Dowdall | $100 |
| Bruce Heister | $100 |
| Jim Frizzell | $100 |
| Janet Hagquist | $100 |
| Glenn Frizzell | $100 |
| Deborah Garvey | $100 |
| Robert Braunstein | $100 |
| Carol Garvey | $85 |
| Gloria Chacon | $75 |
| Catherine Crystal Foster | $75 |
| Jeffrey Buchanan | $75 |
| Leslie Rodriguez | $70 |
| Janice Bitters | $70 |
| Paul Escobar | $70 |
| Chelsey Cartwright | $60 |
| Olivier Mange | $60 |
| Amy Feldman | $60 |
| Margaret Okuzumi | $60 |
| Don Albert | $50 |
| Jeremy Barousse | $50 |
| Kristen Clements | $50 |
| Bob Brownstein | $50 |
| Beth Leary | $50 |
| Shane Patrick Connolly | $50 |
| Pattie Cortese | $50 |
| Larry Gerston | $50 |
| Lydia Guel de Bustamante | $50 |
| J. Manuel Herrera | $50 |
| Helen Chapman | $50 |
| Tim Kawikami | $50 |
| Hanh Mo | $50 |
| Guisselle Nunez | $50 |
| Angelica Ramos | $50 |
| Brendan Rawson | $50 |
| Erlinda Reyes | $50 |
| Vince Rocha | $50 |
| David Urhausen | $50 |
| Heather Zimmerman | $50 |
| Maria Fuentes | $50 |
| Kelly Snider | $50 |
| David Tran | $50 |
| Ellen Pulskamp Turner | $50 |
| Nicole Fernandez | $50 |
| Jeanette Lee | $50 |
| Jodi Nunes | $50 |
| Ken Heredia | $50 |
| Eleanor Pett | $50 |
| Denise Belisle | $50 |
| Gabriela Banks | $50 |
| Patrick Chung | $50 |
| Andrew Alfaro | $50 |
| Alice Kaufman | $50 |
| Kent Greathouse | $50 |
| Brian Wheatley | $50 |
| Seth Cole | $50 |
| Barbara Goldstein | $50 |
| Kaia Eakin | $50 |
| Norma Callender | $50 |
| Long Nguyen | $50 |
| Karen Schuler | $50 |
| Patrick Goddi | $50 |
| Denise Herrera | $50 |
| Jim Frizell | $50 |
| Jeffrey Levin | $50 |
| Bruce Davis | $50 |
| Kathy Thibodeaux | $50 |
| Maia Bookoff | $50 |
| Patrick Ferraro | $50 |
| Claire Noonan | $50 |
| Stefan Baeurle | $50 |
| Stefan Baeurle | $50 |
| Diam Syverson | $50 |
| Mike and Emily Ray | $50 |
| Lisa Hettler-Smith | $50 |
| Bob Burres | $50 |
| Christina Ramos | $50 |
| Michael Young | $50 |
| Kathleen Muller | $50 |
| Kathleen Muller | $50 |
| Emily Ramos | $50 |
| Erica Nazario | $50 |
| Tobin Gillman | $50 |
| Ken Yeager | $50 |
| RML Enterprises | $50 |
| Frannie Edwards | $50 |
| Ray Mueller | $46 |
| Shaunn Cartwright | $45 |
| Terry Reilly | $45 |
| Chava Bustamante | $40 |
| Harriet Wolf | $40 |
| Judy Burt | $40 |
| Glen Shaffer | $40 |
| Jerry Wilburn | $35 |
| Mayra Flores de Marcotte | $35 |
| Milan Balinton | $35 |
| Mario Lopez | $35 |
| Matthew Wilson | $35 |
| Ky Le-Nguyen | $35 |
| Gail Osmer | $35 |
| Gilbert Garcia | $35 |
| Lizzie Nolan | $30 |
| Rich Brashears | $25 |
| Michael Casas | $25 |
| Lisa Chung | $25 |
| Richard Crowley | $25 |
| Kiet Do | $25 |
| Steve Kline | $25 |
| Scot Griffin | $25 |
| Mary Anne Groen | $25 |
| Stacey Hendler-Ross | $25 |
| Chad Johnston | $25 |
| Kieran Kelly | $25 |
| Alex Shoor | $25 |
| Huascar Castro | $25 |
| Patrick Falzer | $25 |
| Beth Willon | $25 |
| Anh Nguyen | $25 |
| Sean Kaldor | $25 |
| Carlos Barrientos | $25 |
| Alice Kaufman | $25 |
| Elisa Koff-Ginsborg | $25 |
| Lara McCabe | $25 |
| Michael Melillo | $25 |
| Adriano Naderi | $25 |
| Pierluigi Oliverio | $25 |
| Christian Ollano | $25 |
| Frank Ponciano | $25 |
| Caleb Prewitt | $25 |
| A’Dreana Quevedo | $25 |
| Robert Reese | $25 |
| Rosa Reyes | $25 |
| Judy Rickard | $25 |
| Robert Stromberg | $25 |
| Eddie Truong | $25 |
| Gill Villagran | $25 |
| Brian Wheatley | $25 |
| Justin Lardinois | $25 |
| Mitchell Mankin | $25 |
| Anne Sherman | $25 |
| James Reber | $25 |
| Barbara Gould | $25 |
| Edesa Bitbadal | $25 |
| Julia Baum | $25 |
| David Vossbrink | $25 |
| Sergio Lopez | $25 |
| Minh Pham | $25 |
| Grace-Sonia Melanio | $25 |
| Riley Snyder | $25 |
| Meghin Delaney | $25 |
| Gabby Chavez-Lopez | $25 |
| Rose Filiceti | $25 |
| Tamara Alvarado | $25 |
| David Cohen | $20 |
| Brian Haberly | $20 |
| Carla Marinucci | $20 |
| Alys Milner | $20 |
| Miguel Santiago | $20 |
| Gabe Carhart | $20 |
| Lauren Puckett | $20 |
| Vera Sloan | $20 |
| Bruce Pickett | $20 |
| Matt Steitz | $20 |
| Scott McMichael | $20 |
| Maggie Graves | $20 |
| Vianey Nava | $20 |
| Burton Smith | $20 |
| Julia O’Keefe | $20 |
| Charmon Ashby | $20 |
| Valarie Klopping | $20 |
| Sylvia Reichley | $20 |
| Demone Carter | $20 |
| Sue Cross | $10 |
| Vivek Kollipara | $10 |
| Mary Greenwood | $10 |
| Amy Brown | $10 |
| Judy Pipkin | $10 |
| Esther Dieckman-Peralez | $10 |
| Reginald Sweeley | $10 |
| Hans Halberstadt | $10 |
| Clark Williams | $10 |
| Victoria Kezra | $5 |
| Jeremiah Haze | $5 |
| Lisa Chung | $5 |
| Brian Consiglio | $5 |
| Jon Pedigo | $5 |
| John Bennett | $5 |
| Sandy Jacobs-Tolle | $5 |
| Martha O’Connell | $5 |
| Jennifer Imhoff | $5 |
| Janice Allen | $5 |
| San José Spotlight Member | Amount |
|---|---|
| Editor’s Circle | |
| Christopher Thompson | $100 |
| Dan and Cheryl Connolly | $100 |
| UA Local 393 | $100 |
| UA Local 393 | $100 |
| Sheet Metal Workers Local 104 | $100 |
| Fourth Estate Club | |
| Vijay Sammeta | $50 |
| The Worker Agency | $50 |
| Leslye Corsiglia | $50 |
| Sergio Jimenez | $50 |
| Zach Pallin | $50 |
| Mary Greenwood | $50 |
| Eldridge Political Partners, LLC | $50 |
| Cayce Hill | $50 |
| Guardians of Truth Club | |
| Lydia & Noe Bustamante | $20 |
| Jean Cohen | $20 |
| Andrae Wara-Macapinlac | $20 |
| Leslie Rodriguez | $20 |
| Rich Tran | $20 |
| Heather Zimmerman | $20 |
| Michael Melillo | $20 |
| Ash Kalra | $20 |
| Kathleen Thomas | $20 |
| Janet McLaughlin-Pfab | $20 |
| Judy Pipkin | $20 |
| Luther Jackson | $20 |
| Ignacio Ornelas | $20 |
| Anne Rosenzweig | $20 |
| Steve Hanleigh | $20 |
| Wendy Ho | $20 |
| Derecka Mehrens | $15 |
| Free Speech Club | |
| Roland Li | $10 |
| Carol Garvey | $10 |
| Patrick Ahrens | $10 |
| Jamie Fearer | $10 |
| Adour Adrouny | $10 |
| Jim Griffith | $10 |
| Lauren Urhausen | $10 |
| Betsy Hammer Carr | $10 |
| Richard Crowley | $10 |
| Frank Biehl | $10 |
| Jennifer Loving | $10 |
| James Anthony | $10 |
| Michael Melillo | $10 |
| Steve Anderson | $10 |
| Marsha Grilli | $10 |
| Victoria Ramirez | $10 |
| Maria Fuentes | $10 |
| Victor Gomez | $10 |
| Terry Christensen | $10 |
| Chris Roth | $10 |
| Huy Tran | $10 |
| Diego Martinez | $10 |
| Ashur Attanous | $10 |
| Frank Ponciano | $10 |
| Kaia Eakin | $10 |
| Susan Frank | $10 |
| Leslye Corsiglia | $10 |
| Sergio Jimenez | $10 |
| Jeremy Barousse | $10 |
| Diane Doolittle | $10 |
| Joel Corona | $10 |
| Vicky Mattson | $10 |
| Kathleen Thomas | $10 |
| Sandra Bendorf | $10 |
| Jaye Bailey | $10 |
| Stacy Owen | $10 |
| Mimi Hernandez | $10 |
| Dan Chapman | $10 |
| Michael Melillo | $10 |
| Blanca Alvarado | $10 |
| Dev Davis | $10 |
| Silvia Mahan | $10 |
| Rose Amador-Le Beau | $10 |
| Jorge Escobar | $10 |
| Long Nguyen | $10 |
| Kyra Kyzantzis | $10 |
| Edwin Tan | $10 |
| Maria Ohollearn | $10 |
| Steven Ellenberg | $10 |
| Anjee Helstrup-Alvarez | $10 |
| Mayra de Flores de Marcotte | $10 |
| Elizabeth Monley | $10 |
| Steve Kline | $10 |
| Shirley Lee | $10 |
| Megan Fluke | $10 |
| Betsy Hammer Carr | $10 |
| Josue Garcia | $10 |
| Carol Stephensen | $10 |
| Ray Bramson | $10 |
| Leila McCabe | $10 |
| Michael Casas | $10 |
| Chris Funk | $10 |
| Ian Cruelidad | $10 |
| Matt Quevedo | $10 |
| Judy Rickard | $10 |
| Janine Zacharia | $10 |
| Patricia Gardner | $10 |
| Diane Doolittle | $10 |
| Brendan Rawson | $10 |
| Larry Stone | $10 |
| Javier Gonzalez | $10 |
| Patrick McGarrity | $10 |
| Steve Preminger | $10 |
| Anna Marie Cruz | $10 |
| Matt Savage | $10 |
| Jesus Flores | $10 |
| Anne Wilson | $10 |
| Erin Salter | $10 |
| Koumban Boesch | $10 |
| Miguel Santiago | $10 |
| Kris Karnos | $10 |
| Amy Neymyr | $10 |
| Sparky Harlan | $10 |
| Marilyn Leonard | $10 |
| Chuck Stevens | $10 |
| Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority | $10 |
| Phillip Gonzales | $10 |
| Christopher Corpuz | $10 |
| Brian Haberly | $10 |
| Lawrence Lui | $10 |
| William Nacey | $10 |
| Marci Gerston | $10 |
| Robin Roemer | $10 |
| Bill Souders | $10 |
| Michael Elliott | $10 |
| James Towery | $10 |
| Kevin Biggers | $10 |
| Andrea Wheeler | $10 |
| Catalyze SV | $10 |
| Fil Maresca | $10 |
| Lawrence Castellano | $10 |
| Bill Roth | $10 |
| Diana Miller | $10 |
| Nadia Aziz | $10 |
| Julie Kodama | $10 |
| Chris Esparza | $10 |
| Camille Llanes-Fontanilla | $10 |
| Arcadio Morales | $10 |
| Andrew Lloyd | $10 |
| Carol Stephensen | $10 |
| Ann Ravel | $10 |
| Jeffrey Cardenas | $10 |
| Jacquie Heffner | $10 |
| Suzannne Wolf | $10 |
| Kent Greathouse | $10 |
| Jenny Higgins Bradanini | $10 |
| Matt King | $9 |
| Valley of the Heart’s Delight Club | |
| Janice Bitters | $5 |
| James Reber | $5 |
| Henry Millstein | $5 |
| Steve Anderson | $5 |
| Sal Alvarez | $5 |
| Johnny Khamis | $5 |
| Ken Stark | $5 |
| Larry Gerston | $5 |
| Jeff Larivee | $5 |
| James Carter | $5 |
| Bruce Pickett | $5 |
| K. Likens | $5 |
| Vince Rocha | $5 |
| Cicely Wedgeworth | $5 |
| Jenny Niklaus | $5 |
| Lauren Renaud | $5 |
| Marvis Eldridge | $5 |
| Sandra Reed | $5 |
| Craig Betts | $5 |
| Brian O’Neill | $5 |
| Jennifer Imhoff | $5 |
| Monica Mallon | $5 |
| Ashoorina Barreto | $5 |
| Jean Libby | $5 |
| Thomas Sebastian | $5 |
| Jeffrey Buchanan | $5 |
| Thomas Clark | $5 |
| Sam Saiu | $5 |
| Paul Fong | $5 |
| Jon Pedigo | $5 |
| Barry Barnes | $5 |
| Ellen Wheeler | $5 |
| Thomas Ferro | $5 |
| Joe Noonan | $5 |
| Karen Lattin | $5 |
| Jeff Prentice | $5 |
Privacy Policy
We will not release your name, email address or any other personal information to anyone outside San José Spotlight without your consent, unless we are under a legal order to do so, or there is an emergency involving danger to a person or property.
