Ramona is San José Spotlight’s co-founder and CEO.
Ramona has covered politics and government for a decade, working in San Jose, Merced, Salinas, Eureka and most recently Las Vegas. A San Jose native, Ramona is passionate about investigative and watchdog journalism that searches for truth, exposes wrongdoing and sheds light on injustice. Ramona broke countless stories as The Mercury News’ San Jose City Hall reporter, delving into the South Bay’s housing crisis, state and local elections, the city’s pension woes, technology, homelessness and the city’s recovery from massive flooding. Ramona’s housing stories revealed loopholes in San Jose laws and prompted city leaders to adopt new tenant protections.
As the state government reporter for Nevada’s largest newspaper, the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Ramona followed former President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence as they campaigned in the Silver State, covered one of the nation’s most exciting U.S. Senate races, interviewed the legendary Congressman John Lewis and chronicled former President Barack Obama’s stop in Las Vegas to discuss technology. She also wrote a groundbreaking series about the lack of mental health care services in Nevada, which led to proposed changes in state law.
Ramona is a graduate of San Jose State University and has won numerous journalism awards, including the McClatchy President’s Award, George F. Gruner Award and 1st Place awards for investigative reporting and coverage of local government from the California News Publishers Association. She’s thrilled to be home — where she can stock up on orange sauce again — and to provide independent and unbiased political news coverage to her hometown.
