New Transmission: Dread Central Welcomes New Staff Writers, Plus A Promotion!
It’s exciting times here at Dread Central as we continue to grow as one of the biggest horror publications in the world. From partnering with film festivals around the world to uplifting voices across the genre, we’re so proud of how far the publication has come. To celebrate our growth, we have a few announcements regarding staffing, including a well-deserved promotion and an expanded roster of staff writers.
First, Josh Korngut, who was formerly Dread Central’s managing editor, has been promoted to Dread Central’s editorial director. Since 2021, Korngut has been integral to Dread Central’s success, whether writing news stories or taking charge of the brand’s creative direction. As editorial director, he’ll lead and shape Dread Central’s social and SEO strategies, working with editor-in-chief Mary Beth McAndrews to ensure the site thrives and reaches more horror fans than ever before. He’ll also continue to spearhead Dread Central’s incredible cover stories and digital features. You can check out some of his work here.
We also have four new staff writers joining our ranks: Matthew Jackson, Matt Konopka, Ashliene McMenamy, and Rachel Reeves! Learn more about them below.
Matthew Jackson
Matthew Jackson is a pop-culture writer and nerd-for-hire who has been writing about entertainment for more than a decade. His writing about movies, TV, books, and more regularly appears on SYFY WIRE, Paste, The AV Club, Looper, Mental Floss, and other outlets. He lives in Texas and is a proud member of the Austin Film Critics Association. When he’s not writing he’s usually counting the days until Christmas.
Follow Matthew on X, Bluesky, and Instagram.
Matt Konopka
Matt Konopka is and always has been a monster kid at heart, with a particular lycan for werewolves (and bad puns, obviously). He has written for Arrow Video, Umbrella Entertainment, Daily Grindhouse, and Manor Vellum, to name a few. He currently resides in Los Angeles, CA, with his wonderful wife and their furry ball of doggo terror, Storm.
Follow Matt on Bluesky, and Instagram.
Ashliene McMenamy
Ashliene McMenamy is a writer from NYC with a BA in English from Penn State and an MFA in Creative Writing from The New School. With a background in fashion and public relations, she brings a sharp, voice-driven perspective to pop culture, beauty, and the strange corners of the internet. She is currently a staff writer at Dread Central and has bylines in Bon Appétit, Teen Vogue, and Allure, among others. Her fiction has appeared in Dream Boy Book Club and Pinky Magazine.
She currently lives in the Lower East Side, where you can find her looking for the family of red-tailed hawks at the park or reading Eve Babitz at the bar. She believes she would thrive at the Suspiria dance academy. She is not a dancer.
You can find McMenamy’s hot takes on her Substack, Status Update, or connect with her on socials @ashjenexi.
Rachel Reeves
Rachel Reeves is a freelance film journalist, podcaster, and vinyl enthusiast passionate about film scores and horror films. When not writing about music or horror, Rachel co-hosts The Losers’ Club: A Stephen King Podcast and Halloweenies: A Horror Franchise Podcast. She is also a huge Charles Bronson fan.
Follow Rachel on Bluesky, and Instagram.
Categorized: News
