About Us
Tony Ramos, publisher of Patio & Hearth Products Report and founder and president of Peninsula Media, has spent 33 years publishing business-to-business trade publications. He has published over 20 B2B publications and has been actively involved in all areas of publishing. From 1988 to 1997, Ramos was co-owner and co-founder of CurAnt Communications, a publisher of numerous medical/health care titles. For the past 8 years, Ramos was president of the Allied Healthcare Division of Medical World Communications (the company that acquired CurAnt Communications in 1997), overseeing 15 publications. Ramos has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from California State University at Long Beach. Ramos is responsible for the overall direction of Patio & Hearth Products Report and heads advertising sales for the publication.
John Nalley, copy editor, has spent almost three decades editing and writing for newspapers and magazines. Nalley, who worked as a copy editor and senior editor at Angie’s List Magazine for eight years, has developed a passion for seeing consumers, service providers and product retailers work together to create outstanding home improvement renovations and outdoor projects. He holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Southern Mississippi.
Cassandra Estes, art director, brings more than three decades of design experience to the team of Peninsula Media. An expert in trade magazine design, she has served as a graphic designer and art director for a variety of companies and organizations in the publishing field, including Bobit Business Media, Macromedia, the Writer’s Guild of America, Medical World Communications and Imaging Center Institute. Estes is responsible for the overall design and production of Patio & Hearth Products Report .
Sharon Sanders, independent freelance writer, has worked as a writer and editor for 23 years in the nonprofit, financial-services, and telecommunications industries. She spent several years as a columnist for a local newspaper, and she has extensive experience as a script writer and producer for a small film-production company in Orange County, Calif. Sanders has a bachelor’s degree in advertising from California State University-Fullerton and a certificate in copy editing from San Diego State University.
Greg Thompson, independent freelance writer, is a Colorado-based freelance writer with almost two decades of writing experience in a variety of fields. Prior to forming his own freelance company 3 years ago, Greg wrote and edited medical trade magazines at CurAnt Communications (Tony Ramos, co-founder) for 9 years. He has a journalism degree from California State University, Northridge, and proudly worked at In-N-Out Burger all through college. After enduring countless Saturday night rushes at the legendary eatery, freelance writing is relatively easy by comparison. Greg is married with three children, and enjoys warming up the living room using an antique wood-burning stove.
Kimberly Rodgers, independent freelance writer, has more than two decades of experience as an editor and writer in the corporate communications and advertising functions of industries ranging from residential and commercial real estate to health care. She also served as a technical writer and editor of environmental law manuals for a Fortune 100 firm. Rodgers has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Missouri-Columbia.
Cherise Forno has been involved in journalism and public relations since 2004, writing and editing for publications such as the Dodge City Daily Globe and The Poly Post. She received a Society of Professional Journalism Award and a Kansas Press Association Award for her work. Her contributions also earned a certificate of excellence from the Kansas School Public Relations Association. Forno holds a bachelor’s degree from California Polytechnic University of Pomona in English education and print journalism.
Based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Maura Keller is a seasoned writer, editor, and published author, with more than 20 years of experience. She has written about business, design, marketing, healthcare, and a wealth of other topics for dozens of regional and national publications, as well as Fortune 50 employee communication materials. She is the author of Design Matters: Portfolios: An Essential Primer for Today’s Competitive Market. In addition, Maura provides copywriting and editing services for corporations, advertising firms, and creative agencies.
As a writer who is “so into her work that she dreams of creating another letter in the alphabet,” Maura has won awards from the Minnesota Society of Professional Journalists and several of her creative writing pieces, including her memoir and poetry, have been published in various literary journals. With a passion for literacy, she serves as executive director for Read Indeed, a nonprofit literacy organization based in Minneapolis that has donated 2.3 million books to children in need.
Laurie Rudd is a writer and veteran marketing and public relations professional with a concentration on the home and outdoor categories. As the founder and owner of Laurie Rudd Public Relations and Marketing, Rudd has been a long advocate for the outdoor living industry while specializing in corporate communication and promotion through relationships with consumer, trade and social media worldwide.
Larry Thomas, a North Carolina-based freelance writer, has been covering the home furnishings industry for more than 30 years. He spent 27 years as a writer, editor and columnist at Furniture Today, where he wrote a wide variety of news and feature stories about all types of furniture and mattresses. He also was the publication’s lead writer for business and financial news stories for many years. After stints at Home Furnishings Business magazine and the public relations firm Steinreich Communications, he became a freelance writer in 2019, and has authored articles for several industry trade publications and websites. A native of Indiana, Thomas has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Ball State University and spent the first 10 years of his career as a reporter for the Evansville (Ind.) Courier.
Dana Robinson is a Los Angeles-based freelance health + beauty + travel + food writer. Her work has appeared in Shape.com, WeightWatchers.com, and Wine Enthusiast (Dana-Robinson.com).
About Peninsula Media
Founded by Tony Ramos, a 33-year veteran of the field of business-to-business trade publishing, Peninsula Media is dedicated to producing publications with a keen eye toward targeted circulation and timely, thought-provoking editorial content, with a focus on new products, product innovations and technological advances. In addition, Peninsula Media publications use high-quality production and incorporate a contemporary and aesthetically pleasing layout and design. An emphasis is placed on producing magazines that serve both the reader and the advertiser.
