Scott Bernarde is a long-time Atlanta-area journalist, with more than two decades of work with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Reporter Newspapers and the Marietta Daily Journal. He spent 22 years at the AJC as an editor and reporter, covering such topics as community news, and pro, college and high school sports. He was an award-winning outdoors writer with the AJC. A journalism major at Troy University, he has skiied with former President Jimmy Carter, spent too much time in sweaty locker rooms, and even wrote about whether fish feel pain (he still doesn't know).

As moderate as you'll find politically (he voted 50-50 for Reps and Dems in the 2010 mid-term election), Scott has lived in Lilburn for 12 years with his wife, Lauren, and two children, Kristopher and Katelyn. Scott and his family are members of Trinity Lutheran Church in Lilburn.

Scott Bernarde grew up in Rothschild, Wis., the fourth of five children. He played sports for as long as he can remember, competing in track, football and basketball at D.C. Everest High School in Schofield, Wis. His introduction to the newspaper business started with two paper routes — the morning Milwaukee Sentinel and the afternoon Wausau Daily Herald. He attended Troy State University (now Troy University) and has been a Southerner since 1982. He is an avid Green Bay Packer fan and outdoors enthusiast.

You can reach Scott at 770-905-7863, or email him at scott.bernarde@patch.com.