Member News

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.

Pete Wasson, who has served as editor of the Ashland Daily Press for the past six years, is stepping down from the newspaper. His last day will be Friday, March 29, he announced March 1 in a farewell column.

During his tenure, he served as the Ashland County media coordinator for the Wisconsin Court System, facilitating media access to the state's circuit courts, Court of Appeals and Supreme Court. Before joining Adams Publishing Group, Wasson served as local news editor and assistant managing editor at the Wausau Daily Herald. 

Gavin Michaelson, who recently earned his master's degree from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, has joined the staff of the La Crosse Tribune as a full-time news reporter. His first day was Feb. 5.

Born and raised in Hudson, Wisconsin, Michaelson graduated in 2022 from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities with a double bachelor’s degree in political science and mass communication. While attending UM-Twin Cities, he wrote for the student newspaper The Minnesota Daily as a columnist.

David Sherman, who previously served on the WNA Board of Directors, has been named vice president of sales for Lee Enterprises’ Southeast Wisconsin region, which includes The Journal Times in Racine, the Kenosha News and the Lake Geneva Regional News, the company announced earlier this month.

Sherman most recently served as regional vice president of sales and marketing effectiveness at Nielsen. Prior to Nielsen, he was the director of sales at Audacy in greater Milwaukee.

Emily Conroy, who previously worked as a journalist in Wisconsin, has joined the staff of the Waupaca County Post as a reporter. In her new role, she will cover the Iola, Scandinavia and Manawa areas.

While attending UW-Fox Valley, Conroy served as the editor of the student newspaper, The Fox Journal. She also was a copy editor and reporter for the UW-Eau Claire publication, The Spectator. In 2010, Conroy moved to the Manawa area, and worked for the Manawa Messenger and Clintonville Chronicle in 2011 and 2012, respectively.