About Us

Seaside Magazine is an impressive monthly publication with a 10 year long tradition of serving readers and advertisers on the Saanich Peninsula. It’s a magazine about community living highlighting news, events and the people that live on southern Vancouver Island. The magazine adds an extra dimension to our community space; a place where west coast culture is treasured and celebrated. It gives a glimpse of the people, places and ideas and unleashes the vibrant energy that the local community has to offer. The magazine publishes monthly, with a yearly distribution of 240,000.

We use a wide range of contributing writers each month including regular columnists and local experts, but here is our core team that is working behind the scenes!

Sue Hodgson –
Publisher/Owner

Sue spent her childhood along the shores of the Bay of Chaleur, in Dalhousie, the northernmost town of New Brunswick, a culturally rich and diverse community. Beside enjoying the daily lifestyle of beachcombing, boating and windsurfing, Sue grew up in a family committed to forest management and a love for fish and wildlife. She graduated from the University of Victoria, with a BA in Social Sciences, and her professional background is publishing: she has served as a director at Page One Publishing and is former publisher of the Peninsula News Review and Boulevard Magazine. She is owner of Seaside Magazine, a Saanich Peninsula community publication dedicated to exploring the people, places and ideas of our West Coast culture and most recently returned back as Publisher of the Peninsula News Review; she is busy publishing both Seaside Magazine and Peninsula News. Sue has been a member of the Board of Directors for Beacon Community Services, Shaw Ocean Discovery and currently a Board of Director for Saanich Peninsula Hospital & Healthcare Foundation. A resident of Greater Victoria for more than 25 years, Sue lives in Sidney with her two teen-aged children.

Allison Smith –
Editor in Chief

Allison was born and raised in West Vancouver before moving to the Saanich Peninsula in 1992. A lifelong love of reading led her to a Journalism diploma from Vancouver’s Kwantlen Polytechnic University in 2003. She then spent five years as Editor in Chief of the commercial shipping trade journal Harbour & Shipping. After seven years in Vancouver Allison realized that it was no longer “home,” and with every trip back to the Island the lure of the salt air became stronger.

Twelve years ago, Allison moved home to the Saanich Peninsula and has never looked back. She became Editor-in-Chief of Seaside, a position she held until October of last year when she took maternity leave to welcome her daughter Tessa. Now she is back at the job she loves, working with the people of her community and a fantastic group of women to create something she is proud to be a part of every month.

Steven Haley-Browning
Account Manager

Steven Haley-Browning settled on the Saanich Peninsula nine years ago and has been part of the local business community for many years, owning and managing many businesses local residents would recognize!

Joining the Seaside team as Account Manager has allowed him to get out and connect with the community in a different way. There is no better place to call home. 

Leah-Anne MacLeod –
Creative Director

I was born and raised in Victoria and in my off time, you can often find me out exploring Vancouver Island with my family and friends!

With a background in a variety of visual and fine arts, I’ve taken my skills into the digital world. My graphic design experience spans a variety of media for both large and small companies.

I’m very excited to be joining the Seaside Magazine team and getting to know the people and community in the Saanich Peninsula.

Deborah Rogers – Editorial Director

Deborah grew up in the southwest of England, moving to Vancouver Island in 2008. An English Literature graduate of the University of the West of England, Deborah has spent much of her career writing and editing. After writing on assignment for Seaside Magazine for several years, Deborah took the role as Editor-in-Chief as a maternity cover. As Editorial Director Deborah now has a hand in most aspects of Seaside Magazine’s monthly production. Working as part of a small team in a supportive community provides constant opportunities for thinking creatively, coming up with new ideas and continually refining the end product.

Janis Jean – Staff Photographer

Ever since I was a little kid growing up in Victoria in the 70s, I have always had a camera by my side. It all started with a Kodak Instamatic in third grade moving up to my dad’s coveted Canon AE-1 in high school. I loved the hours that I spent developing and printing film in the dark room.

I spent 25 years working the front lines as a First Responder. After my retirement 10 years ago, I pursued my lifelong dream of becoming a professional photographer.

Seaside Magazine is the best photography “assignment” I could ask for; I spend my days working alongside an amazing team of people while being given an opportunity to capture life on the Saanich Peninsula.

Amanda Cribdon –
Staff Photographer

I grew up in Sidney and have been part of the Saanich Peninsula community myentire life. From filming videos for the 2010 Winter Olympics (while still in high school) to capturing this community’s incredible residents and businesses as part of the Seaside Magazine team, I’vealways found a way to show off the world around me.

I have a degree in film from Capilano University’s School of Motion Picture Arts in Vancouver, and havefound my calling in photography. I love photographing families, food, animals, and stunning landscapes like Lake Louise or the Sidney Pier at sunset.

If I’m not behind a camera, you can usually find me exploring the wilderness with my wife and 2 dogs, coffee in hand.

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