Our Team

  • A smiling woman with red hair, glasses, and a beige sweater standing indoors in front of white cabinets.

    Emily Ball

    Publisher

    The Vine was founded in 2020 with a simple mission: to deliver true neighborhood news. Focused on all things Irvine, The Vine is a trusted source for stories that matter to the local community.

    Emily, the voice behind The Vine, is an Orange County native. After building a career in the tech sector and at the Department of Energy, she returned to her OC roots. Since 2006, she and her husband have called Irvine home, raising their two children here. Today, Emily continues to live and work in Irvine, sharing the stories and connecting with community.

  • Natalie Chernoff

    2025 Summer Intern

    Natalie Chernoff is a rising junior at Tarbut V’ Torah Community Day School. She has always enjoyed writing, which led her to become an intern at The Vine during the summer of 2025. She also takes part in her school’s newspaper as the co-editor in chief of The Lions’ Pride. When she isn’t writing, she participates in tennis team, mock trial, and the National Honors Society.

  • Sarah Huang

    2025 Summer Intern

    Sarah Huang is a student at Sage Hill School with a passion for creative writing and storytelling. She loves getting to know new people and capturing the stories that shape her community. In her free time, she also enjoys visual arts (especially oil painting), reading, spending time at the beach, and watching the latest Netflix shows.

  • Mia Li

    2025 Summer Intern

    Mia Li is a student at Sage Hill School class of 2026. She is interested in economics and English literature. In her free time, she enjoys painting large scale portraits, watching literature analysis videos, and visiting coffee shops with her mom.

  • Nate Yoon

    2025 Summer Intern

    Nate Yoo is a high school student at Sage Hill School with interests in writing, history, and politics. At school, he enjoys being a writer for the school newspaper, participating in MUN, and being a part of the Robotics team. Outside of academics, he is a member of the Track and Cross Country teams. In his free time, Nate enjoys running, and spending time with his family.

  • A young girl taking a selfie indoors, smiling, with a window and a large green potted plant in the background.

    Amber Wang

    2024 Summer Intern

    Amber Wang is a class of 2026 student at Sage Hill School. She is the founder of literary magazine club The Collective and the Editor-in-Chief of the Yearbook club at school. She enjoys all kinds of literature and journalism, actively writing for various organizations. Outside of writing, she is the captain for the varsity volleyball team and enjoys her free time playing volleyball with friends by the beach.

    Read Amber’s article here.

  • A young woman with shoulder-length black hair, smiling, wearing a brown top with small pink and white design on a plain light-colored wall background.

    Sophia Zhou

    2024 Summer Intern

    Sophia Zhou is a high school student in Orange County. She is passionate about creative writing and journalism, specifically about local politics. In her free time, she enjoys working on her novel, reading, and helping with theater productions.

    Read Sophia’s article here.

  • A young woman with long dark hair smiling and wearing a patterned button-up shirt against a mottled brown and green background.

    Brianna Bao

    2023 Summer Intern

    Ever since she was young, Briana always found simple joys when she would pick up a pen and write. Whether it was in her “secret diary” or in a birthday card for a dear friend, words seemed to help Briana connect with the world. Throughout the years, Briana has written short stories, poems, and personal essays all connecting to her life as a child growing up in the chaotic 21st century. Now a rising senior in high school, Briana has a passion for studying foreign languages. She started the Philo-Chocolate Society, a space for young humans to ponder about life while indulging in sweet treats. As a (kind-of) old soul, Briana also enjoys listening to the rain and reading heart-felt books under a dim lamp.

    Read Briana’s articles here.

  • A young man with curly brown hair, glasses, and a slight smile, dressed in a black blazer and white shirt, standing in front of a bookshelf filled with old books and decorative items.

    Joseph Khoury

    2023 Summer Intern

    Joseph Khoury is high school graduate in Orange County. He has lived most of his life overseas, spending his primary years in Dubai and parts of middle and high school in London, traveling through Asia and Europe. In terms of writing, he likes exploring the more interpersonal and social aspects of Irvine, ranging from the effects of political decisions to social activism and what it means for our community.

    Read Joseph’s article here.

  • A woman with long black hair, wearing a gray turtleneck and beige coat, standing outdoors on a bridge with city buildings and a river in the background.

    Audrey Fong

    2021 Contributor

    Audrey Fong is a marketer and writer living in Orange County. She graduated from UCI with a B.A. in English in 2019. In her free time, she enjoys working on her two Instagram influencer accounts and writing short stories. Her work has appeared in Juiced Zine, New Forum, Same Faces Collective, Scorched Palms, The Storytelling Project and UCI Humanities Center. Follow her on Instagram @bobabitches and @charlottethecattledog

    Read Audrey’s article here.