Meet Our New Executive Director

On behalf of Underscore’s board of directors, I’m happy to announce that we have selected Myers Reece as our new Executive Director! This is the culmination of an extensive search process, and we are excited about what lies ahead under Myers’ leadership.

Among the reasons our board agreed there is no one better to lead Underscore today is that Myers understands the business of journalism and is also driven by changing it for the better, which includes elevating journalists and stories from communities too often sidelined in the news. For Underscore, this means Native communities first and foremost — telling stories that center Indigenous people and perspectives while building staff, board, and advisory teams with strong Native presence.

And, of course, Myers is no stranger to Underscore. He joined the team in October 2021 as our first full-time Managing Editor, and during his tenure he has expanded editorial operations and partnerships, including overseeing Underscore’s participation in a national reporting collaborative focused on economics in Indian Country.

Myers has also hired two talented Indigenous staff members — an audience engagement manager and Report for America reporter/photographer who will begin in June — while establishing a fellowship program for Indigenous journalism students at the University of Montana. Stay tuned for more information about the fellowship and RFA corps member in a newsletter next week.

Before joining Underscore, Myers was a founding member and Managing Editor of the Flathead Beacon, the largest independent newspaper in Montana. His writing has also been published widely in newspapers and magazines across the U.S.

As Myers transitions into this new leadership role, we are launching our search for a new Managing Editor.

This is an exciting time for Underscore, with a growing team, deepening partnerships, and, most importantly, more and more of the news and storytelling that brings us together. Thank you for being a part of it!

Sincerely,

Erin Dysart

Underscore Board Chair

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