Our Team
Meet The Houston Home Journal’s team that connects you to impactful stories from Houston County.
Brieanna Smith
Managing Editor
Brieanna Smith is the Managing Editor of The Houston Home Journal. Born in Denver, she spent most of her childhood in Grand Junction, Colorado. She graduated from Colorado Mesa University with a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication and a minor in Graphic Design. She worked as a technical director and associate producer for KREX 5 News in Grand Junction, before moving to Georgia and starting her tenure at the Journal in 2022. She and her husband, Devon, currently reside in Warner Robins. When she is not working, Brie finds joy in painting, playing her ukulele, playing cozy video games and exploring new music.
Clay Brown
Sports Editor
Clay Brown is the Sports Editor for the Houston Home Journal. His career started as a freelance journalist for the Cairo Messenger in Cairo, Georgia before moving to Valdosta and freelancing for the Valdosta Daily Times. He moved to Warner Robins with his wife, Miranda, and two cats Olive and Willow in 2023 to become Sports Editor for the HHJ. When not out covering games and events, Clay enjoys reading manga, playing video games, watching shows and trying to catch sports games.
Sandra Hernandez
Staff Writer
Sandra Hernandez is a Staff Writer for the Houston Home Journal. Although she was born in Perry, she grew up in Warner Robins and is a Houston County native. She graduated from Middle Georgia State University in 2024 with a Bachelor of Arts in New Media and Communication. While in college, she served as Editor-in-Chief for the school’s newspaper The Statement. During her junior year, she started working with the Journal in 2023 and has been informing and connecting with her community since then. When she is not in the newsroom or chasing a story, she enjoys reading, watching movies/shows, listening to music, and spending time with her family and friends.
Owen Jones
Staff Writer
Owen Jones is a Staff Writer for the Houston Home Journal. He attended the University of North Georgia and graduated with a Bachelor in Communications and Multimedia Journalism. He started writing general sports for Sportslens.com before joining the HHJ in March 2024. In his free time, he loves hanging out with friends, family, and his dog Joey, playing video games, and watching his favorite sports teams, including UGA football, Atlanta Braves, Atlanta Hawks, and the Atlanta Falcons.