Member News

Abigail Leavins, a recent journalism graduate from UW-Madison, has joined the staff of the Lake Mills Leader, Waterloo-Marshall Courier and Cambridge News and Deerfield Independent as a reporter.

During college, she worked at the Badger Herald student newspaper and interned for several Madison publications.

Kristine Goodrich has joined the Superior Telegram and Cloquet Pine Journal as community editor.

Before joining Adams Publishing Group, she was news editor for the Faribault (Minnesota) Daily News from January 2021 to May 2024. She also spent 2016-21 as a reporter covering education and public safety at the Mankato Free Press.

Karen Schneider, owner and publisher of the Oshkosh Herald, has been named as one of Editor & Publisher's "15 over 50." The honor highlights news media professionals over 50 with strong leadership skills, transformational mindsets, a commitment to journalistic and publishing excellence and the ability to lead during challenging times.

At a time when many people are looking at retirement, Schneider has launched two weekly newspapers — the Oshkosh Herald in January 2018 and the Neenah News in February 2022.

Tracy Folz has joined the Sheboygan Sun as its new editor, the newspaper has announced.

Mark Sherry, who has been serving as the part-time interim editor of the Sun, will become managing editor. Sherry also is the editor of the Tri-County News, which serves the greater Kiel, New Holstein and Chilton area. Folz has worked for a number of years as a freelancer for the Tri-County News, covering community events, as well as local government and business.

Richard Brown will become the director of engagement, growth and innovation for Madison-based nonprofit news organization Wisconsin Watch starting June 17. This new role is funded by Wisconsin Watch donors and the American Journalism Project as part of a collaborative effort to rebuild Wisconsin’s local news ecosystem.

A national media consultant who lives in the Milwaukee area, Brown has served as senior director of retention for The Daily Beast, overseeing retention, engagement and subscription management. Before that Brown held key positions leading digital engagement, sales and retention strategies for Gannett and the USA Today Network, for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and for LPi Liturgical Publications Inc. He also serves on the WNA Foundation Board of Directors.

Dylan Brogan, who was a staff writer at Isthmus for seven years reporting on city government and life in Madison, has been named the communications manager for the City of Madison, the mayor announced May 7. 

Brogan, a Madison native and graduate of UW-Madison, started his journalism career covering Act 10 protests for a local radio station, then led a team of WORT 89.9 FM citizen reporters while expanding the station’s news programming, reports Madison Magazine.

Alex Gary joined the Beloit Daily News last month as a reporter. In his new role, Gary will cover city government, education and feature stories in the Beloit area.

It’s a homecoming of sorts for Gary, who graduated from Northern Illinois University and started his journalism career in 1994 with the Daily News. He went on to join the Rockford Register Star, where he worked full time for 16 years and then another three as a freelancer. During his time in Rockford, he covered police, courts and city and community news, and he served as business editor. Most recently, he worked in development for a small business accelerator, fundraised for a local history museum, and worked as a teacher for the Harlem School District in Machesney Park.

Beloit Daily News general manager Kim Boreen is leaving the newspaper after 14 years. She will be moving to her new home in Glasgow, Kentucky, at the end of April, according to the announcement. Boreen, who started working as an inside sales representative at the Daily News in 2010, was named sales manager in 2018. Before joining the newspaper, she worked at FedEx/Kinkos for 19 years.

Robert Ireland, director of business development for Adams Publishing Group – Southern Wisconsin, will serve as the new general manager.

Ashlie Fanetti, who has spent the last two years reporting on arts and entertainment for the (Eau Claire) Leader-Telegram, has joined the Bloomer Advance as a reporter, copy editor and page designer. A native of Bloomer, she previously worked as a student intern at the paper.

In 2021, Fanetti earned her bachelor’s degree in journalism from UW-Eau Claire, where she served as managing editor of the student publication, The Spectator, and spent a year as a professor’s assistant in the journalism and communications department. 

After seven years with the Vilas County News-Review, editor Michelle Drew is embarking on a new journey. March 20 was her final day at the newspaper. Drew joined the News-Review as lifestyle editor in March 2017. She was promoted to assistant editor in 2019 and editor in December 2021.

A number of new faces will take the reins upon Drew’s departure, including new associate editors Jacob Heid and Josephine Hinderman.