Hello, readers. Please give a warm welcome to Carol Wood as the Pikes Peak Bulletin’s new board chair. We’re so excited to have her expertise and experience to guide us through this challenging time for journalism. In case you haven’t heard, the news industry is scrambling to reinvent itself for the online (and now AI-driven) era, as dollars and attention become increasingly difficult to attract.
Carol is one of the rare few who has worked on both the content and business sides of the news business. She began her journalism career as a reporter in Denver before transitioning into media business operations and strategy. Through her firm, Emerge Media Group, she provides operational and executive-level consulting services to local and hyperlocal news organizations across the United States. In addition to her role with the Bulletin, she serves on and advises several other media-focused boards and initiatives.
“Informed communities foster civic engagement, stronger public discourse, and deeper civic trust. The Pikes Peak Bulletin stands where it does today because of the dedication of former and current staff, past and present board members, loyal readers, local businesses, donors, and grant-making organizations that recognize the essential role of local journalism,” Carol said. “In keeping with the Pikes Peak Bulletin’s mission, I will work alongside this team to strengthen an economically sustainable local news organization that fosters engaged communities through transparent, accountable journalism people can trust and rely upon.”
A big thank you to two departing board members
Please also join us in saying a big ‘thank you’ to two important Bulletin players, Lyn Ettinger-Harwell and Warren Epstein, who recently stepped down from the board.
Warren Epstein took the board chair position last fall as the Bulletin was navigating a period of deep reinvention. Now that the Bulletin has reached relative stability (that is to say, we are not in immediate danger of collapse), he’s stepping back to enjoy retirement – but will still be penning installments of his cheekily named column, The Epstein Files. 
“It was such an honor to be a small part of the Pikes Peak Bulletin’s transition from a small-town weekly newspaper to something greater,” Warren said. “Keeping any kind of independent news outlet alive and thriving in this economy is certainly a Herculean task. But this board and staff have just the right vision to make it work and grow. They’re smart, innovative, and they know how essential it is to provide an alternative voice for our communities, now more than ever.”
He added, “I’m especially excited to see Carol Wood take the helm as the new board chair. She’s been at the forefront of digital-first news, and she gets the market in a way I’ve found astounding. Now, we need the community to step up and support the Bulletin. It’s our best hope for the survival of real news in our region.”
Before Warren took the board chair gig, that role – along with that of publisher – was held by Lyn Ettinger-Harwell. Lyn’s role in keeping the Bulletin alive and making it what it is today can’t be overstated – we did an article about it last October, “The Bulletin lives today because Lyn would not let it die.”
“Being a part of the committee that worked so hard to revive the Pikes Peak Bulletin was exciting and fulfilling. I truly believe that keeping this small but mighty new source alive is critical for the Pikes Peak region,” Lyn said. “As the publisher for three years, I worked alongside an incredible staff of expert reporters, graphic designers, photographers and a dedicated board of directors to produce a weekly publication that we could all be proud of. We all knew that the Bulletin was one of the last voices of independent news reporting in this region. Collectively, we were protecting democracy and delivering non-biased, factual news stories that impact all of us.”
Juaquin Mobley, the Bulletin’s publisher, said he’s thankful for those who carried the Bulletin to this point, and sees good things in the Bulletin’s future.
“Growth always asks something of us – it asks us to honor the people who carried us through uncertainty while making space for what’s next,” he said. “Lyn and Warren were anchors during some of our most challenging moments, providing stability, belief, and hope when the future of the Bulletin wasn’t guaranteed.”
He continued, “As we turn the page, we do so with deep gratitude for their leadership. This next chapter – co-written with our editor Heila, our great freelancers like Sean Beedle and Pam Zubeck, our contributors and our new Board President Carol Wood – positions the Pikes Peak Bulletin to step fully into its vision as a complete media outlet. Carol brings a proven track record in local news along with the experience and resources to help us grow with intention. The foundation is strong, and the future is even stronger.”
