San Diego Moms: Local Magazine Editor on Career and Parenting

If anyone knows the balancing act of being a working mom, it’s Mia Park, the editor-in-chief of Ranch & Coast Magazine. Park, the mother of a 9-year-old girl, joined the publication in 2005. A UCLA alumna, she previously served as a manager for the band, Switchfoot, before focusing on her journalism career full-time.

Aside from work and parenting, Park is also active in the community — serving on the board for Promises2Kids and The Country Friends. We spoke to Park about balancing work and parenthood and the future of the publication.

What do you love most about your job?  

I love that as a publication dedicated to the community, we have the opportunity to shine the light on the people and the organizations making a difference in San Diego. And that we are able to connect our very dedicated, responsive, and philanthropic readership to the causes that speak to their giving hearts, therefore helping to make our corner of the globe a better place. I also cherish our incredible team — we’ve been very fortunate to assemble a talented staff of professionals who value our mission and are helping to further it every day.

What are your goals for the magazine?  

Ranch & Coast Magazine is celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2024, and we are so honored to carry on the publication’s legacy. In 2025, we plan to continue our mission of keeping our community connected via our monthly print issues, website, e-newsletters, social media pages, and signature events, and we also have some new strategies for growth that we are excited to be rolling out early in the new year.

What is it like being a working mom?  

Being a working mom can present its challenges in terms of finding balance, but overall I value the opportunity to lead by example and show our nine-year-old daughter what it means to be committed to something I am passionate about, and to work toward goals that are set. Because our schedule at the magazine is cyclical, it allows me to prioritize attending Isabella’s Girl Scouts and musical activities, which is important to me because time is flying by and I want to be involved in as much of her day-to-day life as possible. 

That being said, I am also very grateful that by living very close to my parents, Isabella has been able to have their unwavering support over all these years when my husband, Justin, and I are not always able to be present due to our work schedules.

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San Diego Moms is published on Saturdays. Have a story idea? Email hoaq@timesofsandiego.com and follow her on Instagram at @hoawritessd.