Email: claudia.lenart@patch.com

Phone: (224) 430-2525

Hometown: Chicago

Birthday:  Aug. 28

Bio: Hi, I'm an editor for Patch covering the northwest Chicago suburbs. I am thrilled to contribute to Patch and to be a part of a new era of community news. I have been a journalist long enough to remember when the Internet first came to the newsroom. I worked in community journalism in Lake County at the time. There was only one computer with Internet; it was extremely slow and was little more than a diversion. Throughout my career, I have been a reporter and editor for local newspapers, magazines and various online sites. community news.

After receiving a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from Columbia College in Chicago, I worked as a reporter and editor in Oak Park and Lake County, Illinois. I was editor in chief for Family Time, a Lake County parenting magazine. As a freelancer, my writing has appeared in the Utne Reader, the Chicago Tribune, the Waukegan News Sun and various online sites.   Before embarking on my journalism career, I worked in three national parks out west.

I still love the great outdoors and relax by hiking with my dog, Lily, at Lake County Forest Preserves. I am an active volunteer at my son's school.