Lissa Townsend Rodgers Lissa Townsend Rodgers is a Las Vegas-based freelance writer who covers the city's dining, culture, and nightlife. Her work has appeared in such local and national publications as Vegas Seven, Las Vegas Weekly, CNN, New York Magazine, Esquire, Extra Crispy, and Vulture, among others. Experience Lissa Townsend Rodgers got her start in New York where she held editing positions at Lincoln Center and CitySearch while freelance writing for publications like New York Observer. She moved to Las Vegas to continue her graduate studies, eventually becoming an elementary school teacher, all the while pursuing editing and writing opportunities.Lissa worked at the weekly publication Vegas Seven magazine for more than three years, rising up the ranks to become Editor-at-Large. There she wrote columns, features, interviews, and breaking news and edited special issues. In addition to writing for magazines, Lissa contributed to the book Live Through This: An Anthology of Unnatural Disasters and Nevada: 150 Years in the Silver State (2019). She's done a number of readings and spoken word performances at the Tell, the Beat, KUNV radio, Our Las Vegas and others. Lissa is currently a STEM/Library teacher in Clark County. Education Lissa studied journalism, philosophy, and cinema at New York University, graduating with a bachelor of arts in journalism. She holds a master of education degree from the University of Nevada-Las Vegas. About Food & Wine Food & Wine, a Dotdash Meredith Brand, is an award-winning online resource for anyone passionate about the culinary world. With rigorously tested recipes and the most trusted restaurant, drinks, culinary travel and home coverage, we inspire and empower people everywhere to discover, create, and devour the best in food and wine. Learn more about us and our editorial process.