Marielena Castellanos
South Bay Engagement ProducerMarielena Castellanos is the South Bay engagement producer at KPBS. She brings experience in outreach and engagement, politics, and communications as well as radio, print, broadcast, and multimedia journalism.
Prior to joining KPBS, she produced a daily radio newscast for San Diego’s Jazz 88.3 FM KSDS. She also wrote community-focused stories for the local bilingual community newspaper, La Prensa San Diego.
Marielena was born in Chula Vista and raised along the border in the South Bay/Tijuana region. Her education includes attending both Southwestern College and San Diego City College. She is a first-generation college graduate from UC Berkeley with degrees in ethnic studies and English.
MORE STORIES BY THIS AUTHOR
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Registered voters will get a chance to hold elected officials accountable at the ballot box with their vote. -
Imperial Beach Mayor Paloma Aguirre's address highlights urgent needs: tackling the cross-border sewage crisis, housing projects, homeless support and city improvements. -
This year, the annual Love Thy Neighbor Toy Drive is happening in collaboration with the Commercial Street Artisan Market from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 10. -
All over San Diego, friends and families are making time in busy schedules to prepare and to gather to celebrate the holidays. To add to the season's joy, we’ve compiled a list of books celebrating our region's rich cultural and religious traditions. -
Discover diverse opportunities for volunteering and giving back in San Diego this holiday season. Serve meals, foster pets, donate or volunteer with various organizations near you. -
November is Native American Heritage Month and a good time to highlight books written by and about Indigenous people.
MORE STORIES FEATURING WORK BY THIS AUTHOR
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A look back at SDCC 2025's highlights and tips for celebrating pop culture all year long. -
Indigenous people across North America are demanding sustained responses to violence in their communities. In San Diego County over the weekend, a summit was held to raise awareness about indigenous people missing and murdered in the region. -
Border Investigative Reporter Gustavo Solís breaks down the impact of Mexico's upcoming election in our region during KPBS' first virtual bilingual conversation with politics experts.
- Big hike in fees for San Diego sports leagues leaves players on the bench
- El Cajon police and state AG’s Office at odds over sharing of surveillance data
- San Diego teens turn to peers for mental health support
- New housing development on horizon for South Bay
- 5 things to know about Gavin Newsom’s plan to redraw California’s election maps