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 in her downtown ABQ studio. 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
Senior Advertising Executive
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.
Bill Stanage
Partnership Development
In addition to advertising sales, Bill helps ATM find smart collaborations with ABQ’s businesses and organizations. It’s a talent that served him well during his two decades in the world of finance and investing in Rio Rancho, during which he earned several prestigious accolades. And although he can talk sales and finance with the best of them, Bill can also talk about things like wire feed, argon gas and electrodes. Yes, we’re talking about welding, which Bill learned at CNM, and later honed as President of Valley Welders Supply Company. He’s the President of the Rio Rancho Education Foundation and Executive Director of the “League of Exceptional Gentlemen.” He and his wife, Tiffani, love travel, sports, and supporting their daughter Lauren’s educational journey at the University of Texas.
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.”
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.
Lori Wilding
director of first impressions / Datebook Editor
From her first day at ATM, it was clear that Lori loves to please those around her, whether it’s co-workers or customers (she admits that she’s a “people person”). This ABQ native delights in engaging all who walk through the magazine’s front doors, and works hard to ensure that everyone’s problem or issue get solved. In addition, Lori serves as the magazine’s DateBook Editor, and handles all the info for the events and shows that get listed in this huge section of ATM each month. A voracious reader, she also helps with each month’s final edit to track down those pesky misspellings before they get into print. Prior to joining the magazine in 2021, Lori owned her own medical transcription business for 27 years, and was only forced to close due to the shift to electronic medical records. And of course, she’s awesome at transcribing interviews for some of the magazine’s articles.