Uptown 11 Team

portrait of Sam Hodgson in black and white

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Founder and Creative Director

Sam Hodgson is the founder and creative director of Uptown 11 Studios, a creative agency that helps San Diego's community-minded brands run their own news operations.

Before founding Uptown 11 in 2024, he served as the Director of Photography and Video at The San Diego Union-Tribune, where he helped grow a team of visual journalists and the newspaper's digital-first storytelling approaches and culture. Before joining The U-T, he was a regular contributor to The New York Times.

In 2019 and 2020, Sam produced an Emmy-award-winning documentary about the campaign finance scandal that upended the political career and family dynasty of Congressman Duncan D. Hunter and the race to replace him in California’s 50th congressional district.

He spent most of 2016 covering the presidential election for The New York Times, traveling to 20 states and more than 80 cities. He was embedded on and off for months with the Bernie Sanders campaign at the height of his rise and traveled extensively covering both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump's bids for the White House.

Before becoming a freelance photojournalist in 2011, Sam spent five years working for the online, nonprofit news source Voice of San Diego as the sole staff photographer. He focused on documenting quality-of-life issues and underserved populations in San Diego.

Sam graduated from San Diego State University in 2006 with a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Political Science. He was awarded the Presidential Leadership Award by Associated Students for his rigorous coverage of the campus community.

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Megan Moore

Storyteller

Megan Moore is a San Diego native with a passion for youth development, creative programming and community impact.

Born and raised in Chula Vista, she’s spent her career at the intersection of service, education, and storytelling. Megan holds a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology and a Master’s in Human Services Administration—both from Saint Leo University.

Her professional journey began with mentoring students and working with youth at the San Diego YMCA and California State University San Marcos. In 2015, a military relocation brought her to San Antonio, where she joined the City’s Parks and Recreation
department as a Centralized Programmer. There, she led the creation of innovative, award-winning programs in arts and education—most notably The Gallery, which earned statewide recognition from the Texas Recreation and Parks Society in 2017.

After welcoming her first son in 2018, Megan shifted gears to focus on motherhood and pursue her education full-time. Upon returning to San Diego in 2020 with her growing family, she re-entered the workforce through a communications fellowship with the Children First Collective. That role sparked a new chapter, leading to ongoing communications work with nonprofit organizations across California.

Megan thrives on bringing creativity into everything she does—whether it’s crafting compelling messages for mission-driven work or chasing after her two energetic boys. Outside of work, she enjoys dabbling in painting, writing, photography, and embracing the beautiful chaos of life as a proud “boy mom.”

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Austin Siragusa

Storyteller

Austin Siragusa is a born & raised San Diegan who is firmly entrenched in the city and the stories it breeds, particularly in Uptown. In 2019, after graduating Loyola Marymount University’s Marketing school, Siragusa returned home to find purpose in the place that keeps him grounded.

A Swiss army man who can’t help but dip his toes in many trades, Siragusa’s a barista/dog treat maker/server/event coordinator at bica, bartender at Gilly’s House of Cocktails and storyteller at Uptown 11 Studios.

Before joining Uptown 11, Siragusa was a co-owner of experiential travel agency A Timeless Day. He helped oversee the creative development, planning and execution of intricate activations with bica (A Timeless Dinner Party), Moniker General (A Timeless Summer), and Bun & Patti (A Timeless Diner). On top of that, Siragusa hosted countless bonfire parties and tours with Kombis Kooks n’ Things across the San Diego coastline, including specialized experiences with influencers (Megan Elise Varela, Lauren San Diego, and Reyna Pizarro). He helped shoot, write, and star in a local food vlog, partnering with the likes of Provecho! Coffee Co., Con Pane Rustic Bread, Animae, ELE Burgers, and former greats el barbecue, Medine and Cops & Robbers Eat Club.

Siragusa’s a local who cannot be pinned down: a creative nomad with many interests and not enough time.

[email protected]

Naja Thomas

Creative Manager

Naja Thomas is the Creative Manager at Uptown 11 Studios. A San Diego (almost) native, she has spent most of her life in the city, gaining a deep understanding of its diverse communities and business landscape.

Before joining Uptown 11, Naja worked across various neighborhoods in San Diego, from La Jolla to Chula Vista, gaining a deep understanding of the local business landscape. She graduated with honors from the business program at San Diego State University in 2022. During this time, she honed her skills in strategic thinking and problem-solving. Naja is passionate about helping businesses connect with their communities and share their unique stories in a meaningful way.

In her role at Uptown 11, Naja works closely with local organizations to identify growth opportunities and develop creative campaigns that elevate their media presence. She is dedicated to helping businesses succeed by leveraging storytelling, media, and strategic partnerships. With her strong business acumen and collaborative approach, she plays a key role in driving Uptown 11’s mission to help local brands thrive.

Ana Ramirez

Contract Visual Storyteller

Ana Ramirez helps Uptown 11 bring stories to life by air, land and sea. She brings decades of photojournalism experience -- as well as her expertise as a Part 107 licensed drone pilot, an expert free diver, an avid hiker and adventurer -- to every production,

Ana's work experience has spanned the nation, but she truly found home when she landed in San Diego as a staff photographer at The Union-Tribune, where she focuses her reporting on the environment as well as the region's rich cross-border and Latino communities.

Her dedication to story and her artistic approach to documenting slices of life have propelled Ana to winning seven Emmy awards.

Before arriving in San Diego, Ana worked on short-form documentary storytelling at the Austin American-Statesman. She grew up in Tucson, Arizona and graduated from the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication.