Denise Ruttan, a 2004 graduate of Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Florida and native of Portland, Ore., started out her reporting career as assistant news editor at her college newspaper, The Triton. She also served as writer, designer, environmental editor and distribution manager, and from there the rest is history. She earned her BA in creative writing, with minors in literature and political science. 

After a year teaching English in Japan, Denise returned to her home state and started an entry-level position as a community news reporter for the Siuslaw News, a twice-weekly newspaper on the central Oregon coast. In two years she became senior reporter on staff, covering city government for two towns, and won awards for her feature writing.

In July, 2008, Denise started a position at the Statesman Journal, working at the weeklies, the Stayton Mail and the Silverton Appeal Tribune. She is now the lead reporter for the Stayton Mail and lives in Stayton, Ore.

 As a freelance writer, she specializes in travel, environment and health.