Zoë Strickland has been named managing editor at Sonoma West Publishers (SWP). Prior to being selected as managing editor, Strickland served as the editor of the Cloverdale Reveille, beginning in 2018.
She intends to continue her Cloverdale duties while taking on additional work with her new position.
“We feel fortunate that we have found our new managing editor from within our own institution,” said SWP Publisher Rollie Atkinson. “As we set out on a series of very historical changes to our news organization and approaches to local journalism it is key to have both some continuity of experience and leadership as well as having someone like Zoë’s eagerness to tackle the set of future challenges we are putting in front of ourselves right now.”
Sonoma West Publishers is in the middle of being acquired by Sonoma County Local News Initiative, a nonprofit formed in 2020 that is devoted to preserving and promoting local news and media literacy.
“We are delighted that Zoë has agreed to take on the significant responsibility of managing editor as our enterprise continues to meet the exciting and important challenges facing evolving American journalism. She will assure that we meet those challenges, all the while continuing to deliver the reliable, trustworthy news we all count on,” said Nancy Dobbs, president of the Sonoma County Local News Initiative Board of Directors.
“We knew we were making the right choice for editor when all her co-workers started giving us not-so-subtle hints about who the best choice should be. Just one other thing: Zoë’s commitment to community service is at the top,” Atkinson said.
Strickland was born and raised in Rohnert Park. She moved to Oregon in 2014 to pursue a degree in English literature and gender studies. Four years and one degree later, she moved back to Sonoma County to begin work at SWP. While in Oregon, she spent two years as the editor-in-chief of a literary magazine, three years in various positions at her weekly college newspaper and had a brief stint as a radio DJ.
Sonoma West Publishers currently owns the Cloverdale Reveille, Windsor Times, Sonoma West Times & News and The Healdsburg Tribune. In May 2020, its Cloverdale, Windsor and Sebastopol and west county publications transitioned to a “digital daily” format, no longer having print editions.
“Our readers are lively, engaged and care deeply about where they live,” Strickland said. “After over a year of limited in-person events, social distancing and economic challenges, I look forward to working with our editorial staff to further deepen our relationships with our local communities and to see how we can provide more comprehensive coverage of the issues facing residents of north and west Sonoma County.”
Strickland is joined in the newsroom by Heather Bailey, Camille Escovedo and Katherine Minkiewicz-Martine.
