Her journalism takes her everywhere, from writing narrative features that focus on our shared humanity to spotlighting problems by digging into challenging issues. She's a Renaissance woman of news who is into storytelling that connects people and initiates exploration. A love of nature and discovery inspires her enthusiastic travels and obsessive writing + research — compelled to take on anything in pursuit of bringing the most pertinent information to light in a way that resonates. 

​

Carmen worked as a staff reporter and columnist for 14 years (at The Fresno Bee, Sierra Star, and Montana Kaimin) before recently deciding to resign to take up the freelance writing dream, pursuing more of the storytelling she loves as a freelancer. Career highlights include serving in The Bee's features department, where she had a human-interest column, Heart in the San Joaquin, and being the McClatchy Company’s go-to reporter for news about Yosemite National Park and surrounding areas. 

 

Carmen is based in the heart of California, in the central San Joaquin Valley, and grew up in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada. At age 17, she headed north in search of a good journalism school + mountains and adventure, what she found as a print journalism major at the University of Montana, Missoula. Carmen returned to California four years later to again live and write near her favorite place, Yosemite, where she’s been telling stories since childhood.

 

Her storytelling is greatly enhanced by her favorite co-creator, Craig Kohlruss, a Fresno Bee staff photojournalist, videographer and drone pilot who also works as a freelancer. The duo became a CK team in 2021, when Carmen changed her byline from Carmen George to Carmen Kohlruss after they were married. She loves this wild, wonderful world dearly!