About Me

Hi, my name is Ashley M. Ratcliff. This site is designed as a place to display my skills and passion for writing.

From my childhood days of creating my own storybooks to experiencing the thrill of seeing my first byline in print in my high school's newspaper, I knew that a writer is what I wanted to be when I grew up.

I graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara, where I majored in Sociology and minored in Professional Writing (Editing Emphasis). After writing for my college newspaper, the Daily Nexus, and interning at the Santa Barbara News-Press and Pacific Coast Business Times, I landed my first professional writing gig at the Palos Verdes Peninsula News in 2006, where I currently work.

I am the city editor at the semi-weekly CNPA award-winning newspaper, and I cover the city of Rancho Palos Verdes, the largest city on the Palos Verdes Peninsula. In addition to authoring crime and general assignment articles, I've written stories that highlight city hall happenings and feature the area's interesting residents. My responsibilities also include composing commentaries, editorials and headlines.

I also contribute to the Peninsula News' annual Our Town publication, now a quarterly magazine. In my spare time, I write lifestyle pieces for E Style magazine, an Elaine Swann Enterprises online publication.

Please feel free to contact me using the form provided, and thanks for stopping by.