About PlayVirginia

Our team

Managing Editor: Dan Jorgensen

Dan Jorgensen joined Catena Media as PlayIA‘s lead writer and managing editor in 2021. He is anxious to share updates about the growing Virginia gaming industry for Play Virginia. He draws on 25 years of news and sports reporting experience, including 11 years as managing editor for one of Iowa’s most decorated community newspapers.

Recent and Current Contributors

Contributor: Kevin Garza

Kevin Garza is a 2020 graduate of Northern Illinois University hailing from Chicago. Kevin  specializes in coverage of sports betting and legalization. Former teammates and coworkers describe him as a nice guy who tries hard and loves the game.

Contributor: Diane Bennett

Diane Bennett is a freelance writer that has written on a variety of topics including publications like Upnest and Psychology Today. Diane brings experience in the gambling sector as the senior copywriter for Isle of Capri casinos.

Contributor: Susan Brown

Susan Brown is a writer from Milwaukee, WI, who thrives on fast-paced news and current events. She’s been published by Digital Trends, CinemaBlend, and 4B, and when she’s not scouring breaking news sites, you can find her binge-watching “New Girl” for the 100th time.

Contributor: Margarita Pittman

Margarita Pittman has written, edited and designed words at five Michigan newspapers and websites. She’s worked on two sports desks, including at The Oakland Press and most recently at The Detroit News. Margarita has contributed to stories on many big sports moments, from the NFL’s 100th season to Super Bowls to Justin Verlander’s trade to the closing of the Palace of Auburn Hills.  Julie loves lakes, bonfires, Dachshunds, coaching Little League and carrying on her Dad’s fantasy football legacy that he started in 1987 — before there was an app for that.

Contributor: Willie Chiles

Willie Chiles is a Catena Media contributor who resides in Chicago. In addition to gaming news, he covers esports, sports business and sports law.

Past Contributor: Ramon Sides

Ramon Sides is a longtime sports journalist who’s written and edited for The Athletic, USA Today, ESPN, MLB.com and other outlets. He lives in Lexington, Virginia.

Content Manager: Richard Alvarez

Richard Alvarez manages the sites for some of the biggest gambling markets in the US, including play-virginia.com. He has covered the sports betting and gambling industry for over two years and is now leading the charge in the most influential markets to potentially launch online casinos. A University of Northern Colorado graduate, he also has over a decade of journalism experience covering college and professional athletics.

Head of Production, Play Sites: Jennifer Lindenberg

Jennifer Lindenberg is the content lead for Play-branded sites, including PlayIllinois.com. She has experience writing and reporting on poker culture and the legalization and launch of sports betting in the US. Jennifer was a business story strategist for small businesses. She has a bachelor’s degree in communications.

VP, North America Content: David Ortiz

David Ortiz has been a sports journalist for more than 20 years, working as a reporter, editor and designer. He also manages content at Legal Sports Report and other sites about gambling. He contributes analysis at the PlayUSA network, including regional sites like Play Virginia. He went to school in Washington DC and lived in Virginia for five years.

More about play-virginia.com

Play Virginia was founded to help cover the new gambling industry created by state law in 2020, including the legalization of online sports betting and land-based casinos. You can find information at Play Virginia on both topics, as well as coverage of the gambling industry in the region around Virginia.