Emma Balter became Houstonia’s editor in chief in May 2023. She was previously the food editor of Chron, a features reporter for the Houston Chronicle, and an associate editor at Wine Spectator. She has also contributed to Condé Nast Traveler, Food & Wine, Eater, PureWow, Chowhound, and VinePair, among others. She graduated from Poynter’s prestigious Leadership Academy for Women in Media in March 2024 and has served on the James Beard Restaurant & Chef committee since 2022.

Emma has been a proud Houstonian since 2020 and loves to drive around to discover new pockets of the city—excursions that are mostly food-motivated. She currently lives in southwest Houston with too many cats and will one day learn how to take care of her raised beds properly.