We Love Our Jobs.
MEET OUR TEAM
Larryl Lynch
publisher
The beginnings of Albuquerque The Magazine started in 2003 at a desk in Larryl’s spare bedroom. The former newspaper reporter (and amateur photographer and graphic designer) conceived the publication as a way to show the people of ABQ the true greatness of our city. The concept worked, in part because the city was ready to become next-level (as the young kids say), and also because of the talented team on board, both then and now. Larryl believes that it’s only through the eyes of the staff that ATM is able to showcase the city each and every month. A native of Prewitt, Larryl earned a journalism degree from NMSU, and went on to write for newspapers such as the Los Angeles Times and the Sacramento Bee. He claims to be a movie fanatic, but to this day, he’s never seen “E.T.,” and he only watched “The Goonies” for the first time in 2020. He still carries his original Movie Pass credit card in his wallet.
Gena Goodson
associate publisher
If ATM had a footprint, it would almost surely resemble the mark from one of Gena’s stylish wedges or fashionable sneakers. This Belen native has built quite a legacy at ATM since joining the magazine immediately after the first issue came out in 2004. Though her primary oversight is in advertising sales, Gena’s sharp instincts and undying passion have helped shape the magazine’s editorial vision, marketing reach, newsstand growth and workplace culture. She coined the term “100 percent positive” to describe our editorial content (it’s a mission we take seriously). As the Associate Publisher and an ownership partner of ATM, she continues to oversee the sales team, and also manages the magazine’s business office, community partnerships, and brand marketing. She’ll be the first to tell you she’s “oddly optimistic,” and enjoys acting as a human intercom by yelling for staff members in the office. She also loves “to cocktail,” and has mastered seven crafty versions of an Old Fashioned—no doubt using bottles from her two impressive whiskey collections (home and office).
Don James
Photo Director
Don hadn’t even finished his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in photography from UNM when he joined ATM in 2004. Today, as the magazine’s Photo Director, it’s through his lens that the magazine’s stories come to life with beautiful pictures to match the words. He also creates and captures images for many of the advertisers whose ads run in our pages. With 20 years of experience working with the who’s-who of ABQ, it’s no wonder Don is the most recognized person on our staff. He also published a photo book, “One Nation, One Year,” that illustrated his 365-day journey of photographing the people and places of the Navajo Nation. He’s a cowboy at heart, having competed in wild horse races at rodeos throughout the Southwest. But Don also has a tame side: he plays piano, collects Hot Wheels, and is a golfer and a movie buff (he’s a natural at quoting Quentin Tarantino movies). He also tends chickens and vegetables in his garden, and is addicted to the BBC TV show, “Top Gear” (mostly just “The Stig”).
Lise Watkins
Publishing Director
Lise Watkins has been a creative professional for over 20 years, starting in the advertising world in San Francisco. She is on her second tour of duty with ATM; the first began in 2012 as an ad designer. This time around, she’s the Publishing Director, and oversees the look, feel, design and creativity of the magazine. She says she loves organizing information in a way that readers can really sink their teeth into (and she loves working for, quote, the best magazine in the world). Lise is also a fine artist who works with paint and other mediums. She’s married with two kids, loves to watch Star Trek, and admits to biting off more than she can chew from time to time with ill-advised home improvement projects (she says her happy place would be a store that sells both art supplies and hardware). As an art director, Lise has worked for countless small and national brands, and as a designer and illustrator she has lent her talents to event organizations, music festivals and bands.
Philip Kjelland
Sales Director
Saleema Ishq
Assistant Editor
Her magazine co-workers will confirm that Saleema is continuously buzzing—with enthusiasm, caffeine, or the hum of an earworm that’s stuck in her head. If someone mentions an idea for ATM that she likes, you can expect cheering followed by a fully mapped-out plan from her before the conversation’s over. In addition to writing and editing, her editorial scope includes help in planning the magazine’s editorial content and overseeing ATM’s freelancers and contributors. Her first introduction to professional writing was in 2015, crafting technical case reports for veterinary journals. Since then, she’s worked as a copywriter, pet content writer, editor, and most recently, fiction author. Saleema claims to do her best writing when holed up at a local coffee shop, and she’s always game for a barista recommendation—even better if it’s off-menu. The Los Alamos native also loves hiking trails with her husband and dog, weightlifting, crocheting, and staying up way too late turning the pages of a gripping thriller.
Megan Life
Senior Advertising Executive
There are no clouds in Megan’s personality, only sunshine. For the past 15 years, her positive energy and enthusiasm have helped build the foundation of trust that ATM advertisers count on. And so, it makes sense that her Mass Communications degree from UNM had an emphasis on advertising. And the enthusiasm? It might help to know that Megan is a former Lobo cheerleader (she’s done cartwheels in our office more than once). The Silver City native says she loves ABQ’s weather, nightlife, and restaurant scene, and is also passionate about shopping, reading, and spending time with her husband and two young sons. She’s a self-proclaimed reality TV junkie, and is a huge fan of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Gabe Candelaria
Advertising Executive
Gabe loves a lot of things—lightsabers, French bulldogs, his family (in no particular order). But people are at the top of his list, so it’s no surprise that the ATM ad executive thrives on helping local businesses connect with their communities through the magazine’s pages. His schedule is packed with networking events, client meetings, and finding new ways to spotlight them on social media. Did we mention Gabe is also ATM’s resident TikTok influencer-in-the-making? A self-proclaimed “hometown boy from Belen,” Gabe went straight from high school graduation into a career in the aviation industry, where he spent the next 20 years working in customer service, fueling, maintenance, and, most recently, dispatching. He enjoys playing the drums, cheering on his Cincinnati Bengals and Colorado Rockies, and embracing his inner Jedi as an avid Star Wars fan (we weren’t kidding about his lightsaber, which towers proudly over his desk in its own custom stand!) Gabe enjoys spending time with his wife, Michelle, their two boys, Brandon and Jason, and their fur baby, Rocky (yes, a French bulldog).
Emily Klumpenhower
graphic designer
We’ve learned not to be mistaken by Emily—she can be on the quiet side, but she’s mentally tough enough to make clients happy by creating ads they truly love. Her duties also require excellent customer service skills: in addition to creating new artwork for clients, she oversees the inspection of submitted ads, and the updating of previous ads. The Grants native earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree (emphasis on Studio Arts) from Southern Utah University, and joined ATM shortly thereafter. She loves trying new restaurants, catching a movie or going to live theater, and hunting for bargains at a thrift store. Emily is also enthusiastic about her never-ending arts and crafts projects, caring for her houseplants, and visiting local coffee shops for a morning treat.
Suzanna Hoenicke-Martin
graphic designer
For as long as she can remember, Suzanna has been finding ways to create. Exhibit A would be her office, which is one of the most thoughtfully decorated workspaces at the magazine, complete with mood lighting and mesmerizing original artwork. Exhibit B? The catchy and colorful display ads she designs each month for many of ATM’s advertisers. Whether creating for the magazine or for personal projects, Suzanna says she approaches everything with purpose—that might also include her infectious laugh, which brightens the mood at ATM numerous times each day. Growing up in a military family with eight siblings—all home-schooled, by the way—Suzanna spent her childhood doing everything from filming skits with her sisters and friends, to staying up past bedtime drawing what she lovingly refers to as “creepy illustrations.” In addition to making art, she enjoys horror movies and metal music, birdwatching with her cats, and rescuing tiny creatures from well-meaning but overzealous humans.
Jake Handler
publishing coordinator
You know those folks who constantly surprise you with their skills and work ethic? That’s Jake. The Cincinnati native’s only flaws are that he’s a huge Bengals and Reds fan (we’re just kidding, of course). Before he joined ATM this year, Jake was immersed in the restaurant world, gaining experience in both front and back of house roles at eateries across the country. It’s no wonder that he’s a huge fan of “The Bear” and other TV shows about restaurants and cooking (and yes, he’s handy in the kitchen). His pastimes include catching suds and bites at local breweries, and attending New Mexico United games, where he and his family have front-row seats. At home, Jake likes to hang out with his best friend, Maverick, his 90-pound dog who was named after the character in “Top Gun.”