Meet the Team
BRIANNA GARTRELL
FOUNDER & AUDIO ENGINEER
Based in Chicago, Brianna is a 4th year student at Columbia College Chicago. She is a Radio major with a minor in voiceover. She hopes to use her major and The Limelight to further her career in the music and radio industry.
RACHEL MANLUBATAN
GRAPHIC DESIGNER, SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER, & MEDIA HOST
Based in Chicago, Rachel is a Graphic Design graduate from Columbia College Chicago. She uses her work in both design and video to promote a range of underrepresented creatives, and is passionate about prioritizing community and diversity within her art.
JASARA GOLDSBOROUGH
COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER
Based in Chicago, Jasara is a graduate from College Chicago. She majored in Arts management with a minor in Music Business and plans to use her knowledge of the industry to help The Limelight team and creatives chasing The Limelight achieve their goals.
STEPHANIE HARO
WRITER, MEDIA HOST, & ASSISTANT AUDIO ENGINEER
Born and raised in Illinois, Stephanie always wanted to move to the city. Now based in Chicago, she’s pursuing a BA in Radio with a Journalism Minor at Columbia College Chicago. She loves performing, public speaking, and meeting other creatives, she can’t wait to work with the Limelight as a Writer!
JEWEL PRATT
GRAPHIC DESIGNER
Based in Chicago and native to Cleveland, Jewel is a senior at Columbia College Chicago pursuing a degree in graphic design with a concentration in web design. With a passion for intuitive design, her expertise lies in forming personal connections through art. After graduation, she hopes to pursue a career in design for film. Outside of work, Jewel loves crafting, shopping, and exploring the outdoors!
SAMANTHA HERNANDEZ
Samantha Hernandez graduated from Columbia College Chicago as a performing arts management major in May of 2025. Sam has always had a passion for the performing arts, whether she’s on stage or working behind the scenes. Being part of The Limelight, she hopes to open more opportunities for the dance community to showcase talent, have industry talks, and host classes that all are welcome to, at any level!
PRODUCTION MANAGER
CRISTINA BENAVIDES
Cristina is an independent writer with an affinity for crafting and connecting with artists. She loves coming across a local artist section while exploring bookstores.
WRITER
JOEY MARTINEZ
VIDEOGRAPHER
A lifelong Chicagoan, Joey is an aspiring filmmaker studying their fourth year at Columbia College Chicago. Outside of working on student film sets, they love learning about good music and hanging out with other passionate creatives.
JAMARI SHELTON
Jamari is an arts journalist fueled by music, movies, and all things culture—both online and off. She’s passionate about telling stories that feel vulnerable and centered, spotlighting creatives and celebrating their journeys with intention and care. As a writer for The Limelight, Jamari is here to celebrate artists in their moment. If she’s not writing, her second home is the movies or somewhere making a playlist.
WRITER