Aspen Journalism is a nonprofit, reader-funded newsroom providing communities in the Roaring Fork watershed and upper Colorado River basin with independent, investigative, data-driven reporting on complex issues of water, environment, social justice and history — coverage that is unique in our local media landscape.
Executive summary
With our founding in 2011, Aspen Journalism sought to answer a question: Would this nonprofit, locally funded model find support in the Roaring Fork Valley? Would the community value independent journalism? Would an online news organization find an audience? Would collaboration with established regional newspapers be sustained? Would this reporting have an impact? Not only did we find these answers to be yes, but this model has been adopted across the country — and we were one of the first of a new generation of lean and local newsrooms to prove it can work.
“Well informed citizens make better decisions” has been our motto since Aspen Journalism’s founding by Brent Gardner-Smith in the wake of the Great Recession. In the 14 years since, we’ve published more than 1,100 in-depth and investigative stories written by just over 40 of the best journalists serving our communities, charging nothing for the work while raising over $3 million from our audience and generous foundations that support us. We do this because we believe that good journalism is the air we breathe in a free society, the building block of democracy — and a balm that combats fear and hate, simply by bearing honest witness to what is taking place around us.
It’s no secret that the local and rural press has taken a big hit in the last two decades. A growing number of Americans live in places without a newsroom of local journalists working on their behalf, with many more in communities where that newsroom has been diminished and is facing existential threats. Aspen Journalism was set up, and continues to act, as an antidote to those trends. Through the support of donors and foundations, we are able to backfill some of the contraction seen in local news, particularly when it comes to coverage of specialized beats and investigative angles. It’s why we attend countless and often obscure public meetings each year, resulting in stories like our breaking news about tribal efforts to be compensated for their vast-but-often-untapped water rights that prop up use in the Colorado River basin; or why we spend months digging through complex data sets in order to produce journalism like our reporting on the Aspen-Pitkin County Airport layout debate or Aspen-Pitkin County Housing Authority ownership lotteries.
At Aspen Journalism, we are proud to be part of a community full of dedicated individuals and organizations working overtime to make our mountain valley home a better place; we are honored to be part of a news industry standing strong against the headwinds as we seek creative ways to ensure we can continue to bring readers the news needed in community.
This reporting makes a difference, supporting the communities of the Roaring Fork watershed and all who depend on the headwaters basins of the Colorado River.
Aspen Journalism finished 2024 with impressive milestones. Our stories reached a large audience, via our longest lineup yet of 31 outside news organizations that published our work a total of 185 times. We grew the size and scope of our coverage with a newsroom employing the equivalent of 4.2 full-time journalists including three full-time and 8 freelance journalists who produced the equivalent of 82 investigative stories and 22 data dashboards — our highest level f editorial production in four years. We hosted two free community events and raised $505,840, our largest annual sum to date.
Our core staff and leadership consisted of Editor and Executive Director Curtis Wackerle, Managing Editor and Water Desk Editor Heather Sackett and Data Desk Editor Laurine Lassalle. In October, we launched a new reporting initiative with Aspen Public Radio, co-funding a multimedia Social Justice Desk staffed by Eleanor Bennett, who wrote 10 stories between Oct. 11 and the end of the year. Eight freelance journalists we worked with produced 23 of our stories in 2024.
“Excellent reporting! In-depth, accurate, fair — you guys are the best!”
– Sandy J.
“You’re providing important coverage of issues that matter in our Valley! Thank you.”
– Terri C.
“This is the most in-depth reporting and all round excellent journalism on the western slope.” – Jane P.
“In support of your interesting, necessary stories, in-depth reporting and excellent writing.” – Sarah G.
“This independent work is desperately needed!” – Amy and Neal B.
“Someone has to tell hard truths and spread soft joy.” – Michael I.
“Journalists are the fourth leg on the table of our democracy.” – Lauri N.
“Always great reporting and off the main stream of most media.” – Jerry M.
“Excellent reporting about things that I care about.” – Deborah B.
“I love good local journalism!” – Luke R.
“Your great water coverage.” – Craig M.
“It’s real journalism.” – William L.
“Your work is a great public service” – William L.Aspen Journalism 2024 Staff
CURTIS WACKERLE, Editor and Executive Director
Wackerle joined Aspen Journalism as editor in 2020 and added executive director to his role in 2021. He works to ensure Aspen Journalism provides long-term coverage in specialized areas, producing authoritative journalism on complex policy matters. The organization under his tenure has increased its coverage of the environment, land use, housing, public health and the workforce, while raising additional funding to support these efforts.
HEATHER SACKETT, Managing Editor and lead Water Desk Reporter
Sackett produces some of the most accessible and sophisticated water coverage in Colorado. Since 2019, she has committed herself to long-term, in depth coverage of the policy and politics of water management in the Roaring Fork and upper Colorado River basins, her work lauded for its engaging clarity. Water management agencies, environmental organizations, lawmakers, landowners and river rats take her calls.
LAURINE LASSALLE, Data Desk Editor and Reporter
Data Desk Editor Laurine Lassalle came to AJ in 2020 as a part-time intern who led our Tracking the Curve COVID-19 local data project. Her role became full time in 2021 with a focus on data-based investigative reporting projects covering diverse topics including housing, land use, demographics, transportation and the Aspen-Pitkin County Airport. She also maintains a weekly data-dashboard tracking project and supports other journalists’ work with data analysis and visualization.
ELEANOR BENNETT, Social Justice Desk Reporter
Eleanor Bennett is an award-winning journalist reporting on regional social justice issues in a new collaboration with Aspen Public Radio and Aspen Journalism established October 1, 2024.. A life-long Roaring Fork Valley local, she previously was a reporter, podcast producer and Morning Edition host at Aspen Public Radio. Her stories have ranged from the impact of federal immigration policies on local DACA recipients to creative efforts to solve the valley’s affordable housing challenge.
In addition, we worked with the following freelance journalists in 2024. For more on their contributions see our desk-by-desk breakdowns below.
ALLEN BEST | Water and Urban Landscape
AMY HADDEN MARSH | Environment
ANDREW TRAVERS | Environment
CATHERINE LUTZ | Social Justice
ELIZABETH STEWART SEVERY | Environment
KAYA WILLIAMS | St. Benedict’s Monastery
PAUL ANDERSEN | Social justice
TIM COONEY | History
We were also supported by:
Photographers Dan Bayer, Jason Charme and Oliver Semple
Copy editor Dale Ulland
Translator and interpreter Edgar Barrantes
Marketing and development manager Claire de L’Arbre
Development consultants Dara Gever and Rebecca Mirsky
CPA and accountant Mike Marolt
This adds up to an editorial staffing capacity of roughly 4.2 FTEs, and an organizational staffing capacity of 1.25 FTE.
Aspen Journalism 2024 Board of Directors
Mark Harvey, President
Tim McFlynn, Vice President
Cristal Logan
Pete McBride
Michael McVoy
Laurie Michaels
Jane Pargiter
Carolyne Heldman Rovira
Omar Sarabia
Harry Teague
Pete McBride, who had served on the board of directors since 2021, stepped down from the board in March 2024. Carolyn Heldman Rovira, who joined the board in March 2023, stepped down from the board in December 2024. Thank you Pete and Carolyn for your service and many contributions to Aspen Journalism.
By the numbers, in 2024 we published:
82 Investigative Stories
44 Water Desk Stories
14 Environment Desk Stories
21 Social Justice Desk Stories
3 History Desk Stories
22 Data Dashboards**
**Not published after May 29, 2024
72 Water Meetings Attended
30 Newsletter Editions
24 Editions of The Roundup
6 Editions of The Runoff
Awards Won in 2024 (for work produced in 2023)
Colorado Press Association, two awards, more information here.
- FIRST PLACE: Best Editorial Collaboration
Five-part water and urban landscape series by Allen Best of Big Pivots for the Aspen Journalism Water Desk - SECOND PLACE: Best Environmental Story
SkiCo-funded methane-capture project no longer generates electricity by Sarah Tory, Environment Desk
Society of Professional Journalists, three awards, more information here.
- SECOND PLACE: Business enterprise reporting
SkiCo-funded methane-capture project no longer generates electricity by Sarah Tory, Environment Desk - SECOND PLACE: Extended coverage
Five-part water and urban landscape series by Allen Best, Water Desk - SECOND PLACE: Information graphic
New short-term-rental rules limit supply, restrict future growth by Laurine Lassalle, Data Desk Editor
CREDIT: HEATHER SACKETT/ASPEN JOURNALISM Credit: HEATHER SACKETT/Aspen Journalism
WATER DESK
Our water desk produced 44 stories in 2024, forty-two of these were by Water Desk reporter and editor Heather Sackett, one was by Allen Best, who partnered with AJ in his role as the editor of the news website Big Pivots, and one was by Eleanor Bennett, who normally covers social justice issues for Aspen Journalism in collaboration with Aspen Public Radio.
2024 was notable for the number of in-depth and investigative projects produces, as well as the number of collaborations with outside news organizations.
Sackett and AJ Data Editor Laurine Lassalle collaborated on the groundbreaking Crystal River Mapping Project, published in March and the culmination of work stretching over a year, which incorporated an analysis of how much water diverted from the river is consumed by crops with an interactive mapping feature and expert analysis.
Collaboration
We also produced three investigative projects with The Water Desk at the University of Colorado Boulder. One of these projects included a collaboration with northern Colorado public radio station KUNC. All three relied on using publicly available data and had numerous interactive data visualization/mapping elements. Aspen Journalism was also one of five newsrooms (KUNC, CU Water Desk, Colorado Sun, Freshwater News) that collaborated on a series for the Colorado Sun about busting water myths. Aspen Journalism took on Myth #4: “Colorado’s water users are told ‘use it or lose it.’ But is the threat real?” This story explained the nuances, water law and misconceptions behind one of the best-known water adages. This project culminated in a panel discussion/Q&A with Sackett and the four other journalists at the SunFest in September, the Colorado Sun’s signature annual event, held on the University of Denver campus. Aspen Journalism also submitted 11 “readers” to Aspen Public Radio in 2024, which are short, 30-second summaries of stories to be read live on-air. We began this practice with each story filed in late August. (See attached supporting document where we draft and share these.)
Aspen Journalism continued its regular ongoing coverage of important water issues in Colorado and the Colorado River Basin. These include: metals contamination on Lincoln Creek; the System Conservation Pilot Program; the Colorado River Water Conservation District’s plan to purchase the water rights associated with the Shoshone hydroelectric plant in Glenwood Canyon; groups working on protections for the Crystal River; and the ongoing seven-state negotiations regarding how Lake Powell and Lake Mead will be managed and how shortages will be shared after 2026.
We continued to publish our water desk’s exclusive newsletter, The Runoff, with six editions in 2024 sharing happenings in the water world that are of interest to our readers, but which in most cases we did not write a story about. The newsletter also recaps and, when appropriate, shares updates on recent stories published.
For a complete list of the stores published by our water desk and the water meetings attended by Sackett, see below.
2024 Water Desk stories published
Climate report projects continued warming and declining streamflows for Colorado
By Heather Sackett, January 8, 2024
This story ran in the Jan. 9 edition of Grand Junction Daily Sentinel, Jan. 13 edition of the Vail Daily, and the Jan. 15 edition of The Aspen Times
Company with oil and gas interests seeking to keep rights alive for reservoir on Thompson Creek
By Heather Sackett, January 19, 2024
This story ran in the Jan. 21 edition The Aspen Times, the Glenwood Springs Post-Independent, the Vail Daily and Greeley Tribune
Company drops bid for Thompson Creek reservoir water rights
By Heather Sackett, January 29, 2024
This story appeared in the Jan. 20 edition of Glenwood Springs Post Independent and was posted on EcoFlight.org on January 29. Heather Sackett was interviewed in the February 1 edition of KDNK’s “Everything Under the Sun.” Listen here.
Bill limiting nonfunctional turf planting clears Colorado Senate
By Allen Best, January 31, 2024
This story appeared in the Jan. 31 edition of Colorado Groundwater Association, the Feb. 9 edition The Fence Post, the Feb. 1 edition of Alamosa Citizen, and the Feb. 2 edition of Vail Daily
Presentation details Lincoln Creek contamination but solutions unclear
Heather Sackett, February 5, 2024
This story ran in the Feb. 3 edition of The Aspen Times
Colorado Springs agrees to give up water rights for Summit County reservoirs
Heather Sackett, February 6, 2024
This story ran in the Feb. 5 edition of the Summit Daily and Vail Daily, and Feb. 11 edition of The Aspen Times
Auction of Colorado River water nets $4.7 million
Heather Sackett, February 16, 2024
This story ran in the Feb. 18 edition of The Aspen Times, the Vail Daily, Summit Daily, SkyHi News and Glenwood Springs Post-Independent
Pitkin County exploring concern that Shoshone deal could harm Roaring Fork
Heather Sackett, February 21, 2024
This story ran in the Feb. 22 edition of the Glenwood Springs Post-Independent, The Aspen Times, the Vail Daily and the Grand Junction Sentinel
Lower basin calls for upper basin cuts; upper basin says ‘no way’
Heather Sackett, March 6, 2024
This story ran in the March 6 edition of Colorado Sentinel and the March 8 edition of The Aspen Times and the Vail Daily.
Crystal River mapping project
Laurine Lassalle, March 10, 2024
In dry years, Colorado’s Crystal River runs at a trickle — but why?
Heather Sackett, March 10, 2024
This story ran in the March 11 edition of The Aspen Times and the Glenwood Springs Post-Independent and the March 27 on Aspen Public Radio
Steering committee IDs three ways forward for Crystal River protection
Heather Sackett, March 28, 2024
This story ran in the March 29 edition of The Aspen Times and April 1 edition of the Glenwood Springs Post-Independent
Wet March boosts snowpack, streamflow forecasts
Heather Sackett, April 12, 2024
This story ran in April 13 edition of the Vail Daily, the April 14 edition of The Aspen Times and the May 5 edition of Ski Hi News
Bill would protect Yampa Valley coal plants’ water from abandonment
Heather Sackett, April 14, 2024
This story ran in the April 18 edition of The Aspen Times, the Steamboat Pilot & Today, the Craig Press, the Glenwood Springs Post-Independent, SkyHi News, and the Grand Junction Sentinel.
River District grants $550K more for reservoir project
Heather Sackett, May 1, 2024
This story ran in the May 5 edition of The Aspen Times and the May 8 edition of The Herald Times.
CPW proposes increase to Fryingpan River fish harvest
Heather Sackett, May 9, 2024
This story ran in the May 10 edition of The Aspen Times
Climate change causing increase in metals concentrations in streams, study finds
Heather Sackett, May 21, 2024
This story ran in the May 22 edition of The Aspen Times, the May 23 edition of the Vail Daily, the May 28 edition of the Grand Junction Sentinel
Using less of the Colorado River takes a willing farmer and $45 million in federal funds
Heather Sackett, May 30, 2024
This story aired on KUNC on May 30, and the June 5 edition of The Aspen Times, Inside Climate News and Wyofile.
Reservoir releases will boost peak Colorado River flows this weekend
Heather Sackett, June 4, 2024
This story ran in the June 4 edition of the Glenwood Springs Post-Independent and the June 7 edition of The Aspen Timesand Vail Daily
Group to focus on water for the environment
Heather Sackett, June 13, 2024
This story ran in the June 17 edition of The Aspen Times and the Glenwood Springs Post-Independent, the Craig Daily Press, the Steamboat Springs Pilot & Today, the Vail Daily and the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel
Grizzly Reservoir work will result in more water flowing west
Heather Sackett, June 25, 2024
This story ran in the June 27 edition of The Aspen Times and the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel
Colorado River officials propose tracking conserved water
Heather Sackett, June 28, 2024
This story ran in the July 1 edition of The Aspen Times, the July 4 edition of the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel and the July 8 edition of SkyHi News, July 17 edition of Colorado Sentinel, and the July 21 edition of KUNC
Ranchers and city share water with the environment
Heather Sackett, July 12, 2024
This story ran in the July 15 edition of The Aspen Times
Army Corps investigating Grizzly Reservoir releases that discolored river
Heather Sackett, August 3, 2024
This story ran in the Aug. 5 edition of The Aspen Times, the Glenwood Springs Post-Independent, the Vail Daily
Upper Basin states propose MOU with U.S. Bureau of Reclamation
Heather Sackett, August 13, 2024
This story ran in the Aug. 13 edition of the Vail Daily and the Aug. 15 edition of the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel.
Lincoln Creek sediment release had high levels of aluminum, iron
Heather Sackett, August 30, 2024
This story ran in the Aug. 31 edition of The Aspen Times and Summit Daily News
Grand Valley water managers have plan to outmuscle invasive species
Heather Sackett, September 4, 2024
This story ran in the Sept. 5 edition of The Aspen Times, the Sept. 6 edition of the Grand Junction Sentinel and on KUNC
Aspen proposes second turbine for Ruedi hydro plant
Heather Sackett, September 18, 2024
This story ran in the September 19 edition of The Aspen Times and the September 26 edition of the Grand Junction Sentinel
New SNOTEL to help Aspen’s water planning
Heather Sackett, September 26, 2024
This story ran in the Sept. 27 edition of The Aspen Times and the Vail Daily, and the Sept. 30 edition of Summit Daily
Colorado’s water users are told ‘use it or lose it.’ But is the threat real?
Heather Sackett, October 2, 2024
This story ran in the Oct. 2 edition of Colorado Sun and KUNC, Aspen Public Radio, Water Desk at CU Boulder Oct. 3 edition of The Aspen Times, Vail Daily and the Oct. 9 edition of Sky Hi News
Feds rule that next round of drought relief funding won’t cover tribes’ unused water
Heather Sackett, October 4, 2024
This story was posted on The Aspen Times website on Oct. 6, Aspen Public Radio, the Vail Daily, SkyHi News, and the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel
Lincoln Creek workgroup has decisions to make
Heather Sackett, October 18, 2024
This story ran in the Oct 21, 2024 edition of The Aspen Times
Groups continue working on Crystal River protections
Heather Sackett, October 29, 2024
This story ran in Grand Junction Sentinel, The Aspen Times and the Glenwood Springs Post-Independent
Extended Shoshone hydro plant outages add urgency to water rights campaign
Heather Sackett, October 31, 2024
This story ran in the Nov. 3 edition of Glenwood Springs Post-Independent, Nov. 4 edition of The Aspen Times, Nov. 5 edition of the Grand Junction Sentinel, Nov. 11 edition of Vail Daily and the Montrose Press.
Officials say water conservation program harmed Grand Valley irrigators
Heather Sackett, November 15, 2024
This story ran in the Nov. 17 edition of The Aspen Times, Vail Daily and Grand Junction Daily Sentinel, and Nov. 23 on Rocky Mountain PBS
River District asks for $40 million in federal funding for Shoshone water rights
Heather Sackett, December 4, 2024
This story ran in the Dec. 5 edition of The Aspen Times and the Dec. 9 edition of Grand Junction Sentinel
Water managers deadlocked on Colorado River
Heather Sackett, December 5, 2024
This story ran in the Dec. 6 edition of the Vail Daily and the Dec. 8 edition of the Grand Junction Sentinel
River District talks water for the Roaring Fork at BOCC work session
Heather Sackett, December 10, 2024
This story ran in Dec. 11 edition of The Aspen Times
Colorado has big dreams to use more water from the Colorado River. But will planned reservoirs ever be built?
Heather Sackett, December 12, 2024
This story ran in the Dec. 16 edition of The Aspen Times, the Montrose Daily Press, the Rio Blanco Herald-Times over a three-part series, Dec. 17 edition of the Vail Daily. It was also featured by Water Education Colorado, Ground News, and Newsbreak
2024 water meetings attended
Jan. 4: Pitkin County Open Space and Trails meeting – in person Redstone
Jan. 10: Yampa/White/Green Roundtable – online
Jan. 16-17: River District quarterly board meeting – in person Glenwood
Springs
Jan. 18: Pitkin County Healthy Rivers – in person Basalt
Jan. 24: Wild & Scenic community meeting – in person Roaring Fork High School
Jan. 29-30: CWCB – online
Feb. 1: Lincoln Creek community meeting – in person Basalt RMI
Feb. 9 : Lincoln Creek workgroup – online
Feb. 15: Pitkin County Healthy Rivers – in person Basalt
Feb. 29: Colorado statehouse Water Resources and Agriculture committee – online
March 4: UCRC – online
March 13-14: CWCB – online
March 13: Yampa roundtable -online
March 21: Pitkin County Healthy Rivers- online
March 25: Colorado Basin Roundtable – in person Glenwood Springs
April 3: Irrigation start-up HUP call
April 16-17: River District quarterly board meeting – online
May 8: CPW Fryingpan fishing meeting – in person Carbondale
May 15-16: CWCB – online
May 16: Pitkin County Healthy Rivers – in person Basalt
May 20: Colorado Basin Roundtable – in person Glenwood Springs
May 21: Lincoln Creek workgroup – online
May 23: CROS call
May 28: CROS call
June 3: CROS call
June 5-7: Getches Wilkinson Center CU law school Colorado River
conference – in person Boulder
June 12: Arkansas Roundtable – online
June 25: Water availability task force – online
June 26: UCRC – online
July 16-17: River District quarterly meeting – online
July 16-17: CWCB online
July 22: Colorado Basin Roundtable – in person Glenwood Springs
Aug. 7: Ruedi operations meeting – in person Basalt
Aug. 8: Ruedi Water and Power Authority – in person Carbondale
Aug. 12: UCRC – online
Aug. 15: Pitkin County Healthy Rivers
Aug. 20-22: Water Congress – in person Colorado Springs
Aug. 28: Lincoln Creek workgroup – online
Sept. 11: Yampa/White/Green Roundtable – online
Sept. 18-19: CWCB – online
Sept. 18: Colorado statehouse Water Resource and Ag Committee – online
Sept. 19: Healthy Rivers – in person Basalt
Sept. 20: River District seminar – in person Grand Junction
Sept. 23: Colorado Basin Roundtable – online
Sept. 25: HUP call
Oct. 15-16: River District quarterly board meeting – online
Oct. 15: Lincoln Creek workgroup – online
Oct. 17: West Divide Water Conservancy District board meeting – in person
Rifle
Oct. 23: HUP call
Oct. 28: UCRC – online
Oct. 28: Wild & Scenic steering committee – in person Marble
Nov. 13: Yampa Roundtable, online
Nov. 18: Colorado Basin Roundtable, online
Nov. 20-21: CWCB, online
Nov. 21: Pitkin County Healthy Rivers
Dec. 3-5: Colorado River Water Users Association Conference, Las Vegas
Dec. 10: Pitkin County work session with River District, online
CONNIE HARVEY ENVIRONMENT DESK
In 2024, the Connie Harvey Environment Desk examined the decisions transforming the landscapes and communities of the Roaring Fork Valley while revealing their broader relevance across Colorado. From public lands and wildlife habitat to energy policy, recreation and historic preservation, our reporting explored the tradeoffs that emerge when a growing region seeks to balance conservation, access and development.
Reporter Elizabeth Stewart-Severy led much of this work, producing ambitious coverage of North Star Nature Preserve, regional recreation planning, wildlife habitat, open-space preservation, composting, building electrification and other issues where local policy intersects with the health of our natural environment. Her reporting was complemented by Laurine Lassalle’s coverage of climate and energy policy, Andrew Travers’ exploration of Aspen’s surprising connection to the recycling symbol, and collaborations examining airport planning, cultural landscapes and wildlife policy.
Throughout the year, our reporting equipped readers with the context needed to participate in consequential public conversations — not by advocating for particular outcomes, but by providing independent, deeply reported journalism grounded in facts and local knowledge. That mission is increasingly important as communities across our region navigate a changing climate, growing recreational pressures and difficult land-use decisions.
We are deeply grateful to the Harvey family — Mark Harvey, Hal Harvey and Ann Harvey — whose vision established the Connie Harvey Environment Desk, and to the New-Land Foundation and Maki Foundation for helping sustain this work. Their support ensures that Aspen Journalism can continue producing independent environmental reporting that informs public dialogue, strengthens civic decision-making and serves communities throughout our region.
Connie Harvey Environment Desk investigative stories
2024 Environment Desk stories
Pitkin County moving to place a cap on exterior energy use
Laurine Lassalle, January 31, 2024
This story was published in the Feb. 2 edition of Aspen Daily News
SkiCo closes Hero’s ski area boundary, impacting backcountry access
Elizabeth Stewart-Severy, February 22, 2024
This story was published in the Feb. 23 edition of Aspen Daily News
The recycling symbol’s Aspen roots
Andrew Travers, March 12, 2024
This story was published in the Mar. 13 edition of Aspen Daily News
Native-carnivore bill would tie depredation compensation to coexistence strategies
Amy Hadden Marsh, March 31, 2024
This story was published in the April 1 edition of Glenwood Springs Post Independent
History of North Star, new data to inform future management of nature preserve
Elizabeth Stewart-Severy, April 28, 2024
This story was published in the April 30 edition of Aspen Daily News
Paperwork filed for gold-mine exploration near North Star Nature Preserve as county eyes land exchange
Elizabeth Stewart-Severy, April 28, 2024
This story was published in the April 29 edition of Aspen Daily News
City helping Aspen restaurants comply with compost mandate
Elizabeth Stewart-Severy, July 13, 2024
This story was published in the July 14 edition of Aspen Daily News
Habitat growth fosters wildlife use at North Star, study shows
Elizabeth Stewart-Severy, July 22, 2024
This story was published in the July 22 edition of Aspen Daily News
Pitkin County will pay to preserve Nordic skiing through private meadow
Elizabeth Stewart-Severy, September 14, 2024
This story was published in the Sept. 15 edition of Aspen Daily News
Agencies from Pitkin County to Glenwood Springs are collaborating on a regional recreation, conservation planning effort
Elizabeth Stewart-Severy, October 21, 2024
This story was published in the Oct. 21 edition of Aspen Daily News
Forecasting what will fly if runway is moved animates airport debate
Laurine Lassalle and Curtis Wackerle, November 1, 2024
This story was published by Aspen Daily News and Aspen Public Radio
In a ‘sacred valley,’ community partners seek to preserve the legacy of St. Benedict’s
Kaya Williams/Aspen Public Radio, November 10, 2024
This story was also produced as a three-part broadcast series for Aspen Public Radio. was published in the Nov. 10 edition of Aspen Daily News and Land Trust Alliance
City of Aspen faces unique challenges in moving to all-electric buildings
Elizabeth Stewart-Severy, November 11, 2024
The heritage running through Toklat
Elizabeth Stewart-Severy, December 7, 2024
This story ran in the Dec. 8 edition of Aspen Daily News
CREDIT: Eleanor Bennett/Aspen Journalism.
Credit: Eleanor Bennett / Aspen Journalism and Aspen Public Radio
SOCIAL JUSTICE DESK
What makes a community—and who gets to be part of it? That question guided Aspen Journalism’s Social Justice Desk throughout 2024, as our reporting explored the people, policies and institutions shaping life along the 80-mile corridor from Aspen to Parachute.
The year’s work was anchored by veteran journalist Paul Andersen’s In Search of Community series, an ambitious exploration of the history, identity and future of one of Colorado’s fastest-changing regions. Published online and later as a book, the project encouraged readers to look beyond municipal boundaries and consider how housing, economics, culture and civic life connect communities across the Roaring Fork and Colorado River valleys. The series was recognized with First Place for Best Public Service Project in the Colorado Press Association’s 2024 Better News Media Contest, affirming its contribution to public understanding and civic dialogue.
The desk also reached a major milestone through a new collaboration with Aspen Public Radio, expanding Aspen Journalism’s capacity to produce multimedia, bilingual reporting in English and Spanish. Reporter Eleanor Bennett led coverage of affordable housing, mobile home parks, libraries, health care, labor, aging and the clean-energy transition—bringing more voices into public conversations while making independent journalism accessible to broader audiences through print, radio and digital platforms.
With 21 stories including investigative projects looking at the Aspen affordable housing inventory and valley-wide child care capacity gaps, 2024 was once again our most productive year to date for the social justice desk, which launched in 2021.
For a complete list of stories from our social justice desk, see below.
2024 Social Justice Desk stories
Aspen’s embattled community first experienced by the Utes, then came the silver crash
Paul Andersen, January 20, 2024
This story appeared in the January 21 edition of Aspen Daily News
During Aspen’s Quiet Years, a challenged but cohesive community takes hold
Paul Andersen, January 22, 2024
This story appeared in the Jan. 21 edition of Aspen Daily News
Post-war rise of skiing and culture creates both opportunity and rift
Paul Andersen, February 4, 2024
This story was featured on the cover of the Feb. 4 edition of Aspen Daily News
The battle for the Aspen Idea: Community or commodity?
Paul Andersen, February 10, 2024
This story was published in the Feb. 11 edition of Aspen Daily News
Along the Colorado River: Where community blossoms and the economy grows
Paul Andersen, March 23, 2024
This story appeared in the Aspen Daily News in two parts, running March 24 and March 31
Pitkin County’s per-capita income, third highest in the U.S., highlights growing disparity with wages
Paul Andersen, April 20, 2024
This story was published in the April 21 edition of The Aspen Times
Building livable communities, one place at a time
Laurine Lassalle, April 20, 2024
Aspen Daily News published this story original story by Aspen Journalism as ‘At the most basic level, community is relationships’ in the April 21 edition
Housing: Where social justice confronts economics
Paul Andersen, June 2, 2024
This story appeared in the June 3 edition of Aspen Daily News
Housing solutions are many and challenging
Paul Andersen, June 8, 2024
This story appeared in the June 3 edition of Aspen Daily News
All you need is luck: Playing the odds in APCHA ownership lotteries
Catherine Lutz, June 30, 2024
This story was published in the July 1 edition of Aspen Daily News
Habitat for Humanity’s latest project in Glenwood Springs aims to make homeownership more attainable
Eleanor Bennett, October 11, 2024
This story was produced through a social justice reporting collaboration between Aspen Journalism and Aspen Public Radio. This story was published in the Oct. 12 edition of Aspen Daily News
‘We’ve never really been older before’
Laurine Lassalle, October 12, 2024
This story was pu in Aspen Daily News and on Aspen Public Radio
Mobile home park residents to ask Garfield County to opt-in to state funds for affordable housing
Eleanor Bennett, October 17, 2024
This story appeared in Aspen Daily News and on Aspen Public Radio
Mobile home park water-quality testing program gets underway, but residents will have to wait for fixes
Eleanor Bennett, October 27, 2024
This story was published by Aspen Public Radio on Oc. 28 and the November 1 edition of Aspen Daily News
New openings on the Garfield County Libraries’ board renew debate over book restrictions and government oversight
Eleanor Bennett, November 3, 2024
This story was produced through a social justice reporting collaboration between Aspen Journalism and Aspen Public Radio. It was published by Aspen Daily News in English and in Sol Del Valle in Spanish.
Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains braces for increase in people traveling to Colorado for abortion care
Eleanor Bennett, November 23, 2024
This story was produced through a social justice reporting collaboration between Aspen Journalism and Aspen Public Radio. It was published by Aspen Daily News in English and in Sol Del Valle in Spanish.
Aspen Meadows promises pay parity for returning J-1 students after international workers raise concerns
Eleanor Bennett, December 3, 2024
It was published by Aspen Daily News in English and in Sol Del Valle in Spanish
What would it take to achieve an equitable transition to clean energy in Garfield County?
Eleanor Bennett, December 12, 2024
It was published by Aspen Daily News in English and in Sol Del Valle in Spanish. It also appeared in and broadcast on KUNC Dec. 27, 2024
Garfield County commissioners appoint two new library trustees amid book restriction controversy
Eleanor Bennett, December 19, 2024
It was published by Aspen Daily News in English and in Sol Del Valle in Spanish
‘Free-For-All’ book fair in Glenwood Springs aims to increase community access to a diversity of books
Eleanor Bennett, December 26, 2024
‘Hospitality Matters’ spreads the word about mental health care and better treatment for service employees during the holidays
Eleanor Bennett, December 26, 2024
DATA DESK
Reliable local journalism begins with reliable public data. Throughout 2024, Aspen Journalism’s Data Desk strengthened every corner of our newsroom by transforming complex datasets into reporting that readers could understand, explore and use.
Led by Laurine Lassalle, the desk produced original data-driven reporting on issues ranging from demographics and housing to energy policy and transportation, while maintaining regularly updated public dashboards tracking snowpack, streamflow, weather, tourism and other indicators that help explain conditions across our region. Just as importantly, Laurine’s expertise in data analysis and visualization became an essential resource across Aspen Journalism’s Water, Environment and Social Justice desks, bringing greater depth, transparency and context to stories throughout the newsroom.
That collaborative approach earned recognition beyond our newsroom. In 2024, Laurine received multiple journalism awards for reporting and data visualization, including honors for the interactive Crystal River Mapping Project, which combined original reporting, mapping and public data to help readers better understand one of western Colorado’s most important watersheds free-flowing rivers. These accolades reflect Aspen Journalism’s commitment to making public data not only accessible, but meaningful—equipping residents with the information they need to better understand the communities where they live.
The Data Desk demonstrates how investment in data journalism strengthens every aspect of Aspen Journalism’s public-service mission, ensuring our reporting is grounded in rigorous analysis while giving readers new tools to engage with the issues shaping our region.
Aspen Journalism’s Data Desk continued to incorporate data visualization elements into our stories to better illustrate and simplify complicated issues. Fifteen water desk stories had original graphs, charts or maps. To see the stories, click on the links included below. Our data visualizations have grown into an important component of the newsroom. The growth in the skills of data editor Laurine Lassalle has been a benefit to the organization and our ability to communicate complex concepts to the public.
Lassalle applied her data-driven approach to 11 investigative stories written under the environment and social justice desks. She continued to produce a weekly data dashboard featuring interactive data visualizations keeping track of snowpack, streamflow, temperatures, hotel occupancy, Lake Powell water storage volumes and other metrics of interest.
Company with oil and gas interests seeking to keep rights alive for reservoir on Thompson Creek
Company drops bid for Thompson Creek reservoir water rights
Presentation details Lincoln Creek contamination but solutions unclear
Colorado Springs agrees to give up water rights for Summit County reservoirs
Auction of Colorado River water nets $4.7 million
Pitkin County exploring concern that Shoshone deal could harm Roaring Fork
In dry years, Colorado’s Crystal River runs at a trickle — but why?
Wet March boosts snowpack, streamflow forecasts
River District grants $550K more for reservoir project
Using less of the Colorado River takes a willing farmer and $45 million in federal funds
Lincoln Creek sediment release had high levels of aluminum, iron
Aspen proposes second turbine for Ruedi hydro plant
Extended Shoshone hydro plant outages add urgency to water rights campaign
BUILDING COMMUNITY THROUGH JOURNALISM
Aspen Journalism’s mission extends beyond publishing stories—it requires creating meaningful ways for communities to access information, engage with important issues and participate in conversations that shape the future of our region. In 2024, Aspen Journalism continued to expand these connections through AspenJournalism.org, newsletters, social media and public events.
WEBSITE
Led by Development and Marketing Manager Claire de L’Arbre, Aspen Journalism’s audience engagement efforts connect the newsroom’s reporting with readers across the region and beyond. AspenJournalism.org remains the central home for our original journalism, providing a permanent, accessible platform for investigations, data projects, newsletters and community-focused reporting. Designed and managed by NewsPack, the website grew significantly in 2024, with a 15.5% increase in new users, a 9.8% increase in active users and a 9% increase in page sessions compared with 2023. More than 80,000 sessions from approximately 64,000 users visited the site during the year, with readers discovering Aspen Journalism through organic search, direct engagement, newsletters and referrals from partner organizations.
NEWSLETTERS & SOCIAL MEDIA
Our newsletters continued to deepen relationships with readers. The Roundup, Aspen Journalism’s flagship newsletter, published 24 editions in 2024 and provided subscribers with newsroom insight, reporting highlights and context on the issues shaping our region. At the end of the year, it had 843 active subscribers. The Runoff, our specialized water newsletter, grew from 295 subscribers in 2023 to 511 active subscribers in early 2025, while engagement increased substantially, with average clicks rising by 281% compared with the previous year.
Social media and digital storytelling helped expand the reach of our reporting, with Facebook and Instagram reaching more than 268,000 users, generating more than 337,000 impressions and receiving more than 8,200 interactions in 2024. Visual summaries of complex stories helped new audiences engage with issues ranging from water and climate to housing and community change.
EVENTS
Aspen Journalism also deepened community engagement through public events that brought reporting into direct conversation with residents, experts and regional leaders. In April 2024, Aspen Journalism partnered with the Colorado Water Trust to host Hanging in the Balance: Competing Needs for Water in the West, a panel discussion exploring how communities can balance competing needs for water among agriculture, recreation and the environment. Moderated by Water Desk Editor and Reporter Heather Sackett, the sold-out event at The Arts Campus at Willits (TACAW) brought together experts from across the water community. A video of the event was recorded which may be viewed here.
In December, Aspen Journalism partnered with Community Builders to host a Chautauqua exploring themes from Paul Andersen’s In Search of Community series. The conversation examined how communities throughout the Roaring Fork and Colorado River valleys are connected and how regional collaboration can help address shared challenges. The discussion was moderated by Curtis Wackele, Aspen Journalism Editor and Executive Director, and panelists included Clarke Anderson, co-founder and executive director of Community Builders; Paul Andersen, author of the ten-part In Search of Community series and local author; Yesenia Silva Estrada, Vice President of Planning and Chief of Staff for Colorado Mountain College; and Caitlin Carey, councilor for the town of New Castle.
GOOGLE NEWS INITIATIVE FUNDAMENTALS LAB
From August through September 2024, Aspen Journalism participated in the Google News Initiative Fundamentals Lab for members of the Institute for Nonprofit News. Through weekly learning sessions and working groups focused on audience development, reader revenue and advertising revenue, Aspen Journalism examined how its website could better attract readers, encourage return visits and convert engagement into newsletter subscriptions and financial support.
The program informed website improvements including more effective calls to action, email-signup prompts, popups and recirculation campaigns that introduced readers to additional Aspen Journalism reporting. After completing the Lab, Aspen Journalism received $20,000 in implementation funding through INN to apply the lessons and strengthen its audience-development and revenue strategies.
Together, these platforms and conversations help Aspen Journalism build an informed, engaged community around the issues shaping western Colorado.
PUBLISHER COLLABORATION AND REACH
Aspen Journalism remains committed to collaboration, and in 2024 we shared our work with 32 news organizations that published our stories more than 200 times. We continued our longstanding relationship with The Aspen Times and its chain of newspapers held in common ownership by Ogden Newspapers, which purchased the group in 2022 from Swift Communications. These papers — besides the Times, they include the Glenwood Springs Post Independent, Craig Press, Steamboat Pilot & Today, Vail Daily, Summit Daily News and Sky-Hi News — reach a majority of the residents in the rural-resort region clustered along the Interstate 70 corridor, and we directly share all of our water desk coverage with the editors of these papers. Aspen Daily News published 37 of our stories, many on the front page as a Sunday feature, showing a stronger relationship with the publication.
We continued sharing our coverage — in particular water stories — with the Grand Junction Daily Sentinel, which serves the most populated area on the Western Slope and ran 15 of our articles in 2024.
We deepened our collaboration with Aspen Daily News, which ran 37 of our stories in 2024, more than double the 2023 count of 15 Aspen Journalism stories.
In total, 31 media outlets published our work in 2024. They were:
PRINT & DIGITAL REPUBLICATIONS
Alamosa Citizen (1)
Aspen Daily News (37)
Aspen Public Radio (17)
The Aspen Times (35)
Colorado Ground Water Association (1)
The Colorado Sun (1)
Craig Daily Press (2)
Eco Flight (1)
The Grand Junction Daily Sentinel (15)
Glenwood Springs Post Independent (13)
Greeley Tribune (2)
Ground News (1)
The Herald Times (2)
Inside Climate News (3)
KDNK (1)
KUER 90.1 (1)
KUNC (5)
Land Trust Alliance (1)
Montrose Daily Press (2)
Newsbreak (1)
Rocky Mountain PBS (1)
Sentinel Colorado (2)
Ski Hi News (7)
Sol Del Valle (1)
Steamboat Pilot & Today (2)
Summit Daily (4)
The Fence Post (1)
The Water Desk CU Boulder (1)
Vail Daily (22)
Water Education Colorado (1)
Wyofile (1)
BROADCAST
Aspen Public Radio (3)
KUNC Northern Colorado (10)
NBC 11 News/KKCO Grand Junction (1)
Rocky Mountain PBS (1)
REVENUE AND EXPENSES
Aspen Journalism’s nonprofit model is built on community investment in independent, public-service journalism. In 2024, support from foundations and individual donors allowed Aspen Journalism to continue producing deeply reported coverage of the issues shaping western Colorado.
Aspen Journalism received $505,840 in total revenue in 2024 (Note: a discrepancy appears when comparing this number with total revenue reported on our 2024 Form 990, as about $27,000 in donations received during the closing days of 2024 was not deposited into our bank account until early January 2025). Foundation grants represented $272,376, or approximately 54% of total revenue, from nine foundation partners. These supporters included local, regional and national organizations that recognized the importance of independent journalism in strengthening informed communities. Approximately 32% of foundation funding was available for general operating support, providing critical flexibility to sustain the newsroom and respond to emerging issues.
Individual donors provided $234,852 in charitable contributions, representing nearly 46% of total revenue and reflecting the commitment of community members who believe in the importance of local journalism. In 2024, 214 individual donors and households supported Aspen Journalism, including small-dollar contributors, mid-range supporters and major gift donors. This broad base of community support demonstrates that Aspen Journalism’s work is valued not only by philanthropic institutions, but also by the readers and residents who rely on our reporting.
Aspen Journalism does not operate through advertising, subscriptions or other earned revenue streams. Instead, our ability to provide journalism without paywalls or commercial influence depends on the generosity of foundations and individuals who share our commitment to an informed public.
In 2024, Aspen Journalism invested $490,179 in operating expenses to support our mission. The largest portion of expenses—$317,291, or nearly 65%—supported editorial work, including the reporters, editors and resources required to produce original journalism. Revenue generation accounted for $93,886, supporting fundraising and audience development efforts; technology represented $22,819, and general administration totaled $68,505.
This financial model reflects the values at the core of Aspen Journalism: investing the majority of resources directly into journalism while building the audience, infrastructure and community support needed to sustain independent reporting for the long term.
Click here to interact with revenue and expenses chart above.
2024 Annual Revenue, Expenses and Donors
2024 Aspen Journalism revenue from donor source:
- $272,376 (53.9%) raised from Foundation grants (excluding contributions that are essentially individual or family donations), including any portion of a multi-year grant specifically allocated as 2023 revenue.
- $31,580.14 (6.2%) raised from individual donations from Community Level donors (less than $1,000).
- $47,883.86 (9.5%) raised from individual donations from Philanthropic Level donors ($1,000-$4,999).
- $154,000 (30.4%) raised from individual donations from Publisher Level donors ($5,000 or more; including gifts that are essentially individual donations given through a foundation).
2024 FOUNDATIONS & FUNDERS
Foundation grants (excluding contributions that are essentially individual or family donations), including any portion of a multi-year grant specifically allocated as 2024 revenue was $297,376 (XX%)
Foundation Support
$143,000 Catena Foundation
$35,000 New-Land Foundation
$23,525 Fund for Nonprofit News at the Miami Foundation (NewsMatch)
$15,000 Aspen Business Center Foundation
$7,000 Maki Foundation
$5,071 Rose Community Foundation (Colorado Media Project)
$5,000 Aspen Community Foundation
$5,000 Brett Family Foundation
$5,000 Martens Foundation
$1,000 The Water Desk at CU Boulder
City and County Support
$25,000 Pitkin County Healthy Community Fund
$18,000 City of Aspen
In-Kind Gift
$3,500 The Arts Campus at Willits (TACAW)
2024 PHILANTHROPIC DONORS
Individual donors who sustain Aspen Journalism with gifts of $1,000 or more within 2024.
$159,555 donated by Philanthropic donors in 2024.
$35,000 Robert Pew and Susan Taylor
$13,000 Mark Harvey
$10,000 Laurie Michaels and David Bonderman
$6,000 Ann Harvey
$5,000 Tom Barron
Ann and Tom Friedman
Marianne and Dick Kipper
Melony and Adam Lewis
Michael McVoy and Michal Brimm
Marcie and Robert Musser
Penner Family Foundation
Kate and Rick Ridgway Holmstrom
Lynda and Stewart Resnick Foundation
$4,000 Dede Reed (Thendara Foundation)
$3,071 Terri Slivka
$3,000 Andrea Booher
Peter McBride
$2,500 Scott Brittingham
Jacolyn and John Bucksbaum
Carol and Mike Hundert
Jean and Chuck Townsend (Townsend Fund at Denver Foundation)
$2,500 Jacolyn and John Bucksbaum
Nicole DeWolf
Nick DeWolf Foundation
Jean and Chuck Townsend (Townsend Fund at Denver Foundation)
Blanca and Cavanaugh O’Leary
$2,142 Carol Craig
$2,000 Peter Looram
Hensley and James Peterson
$1,500 Alpenglow Foundation
Nicole DeWolf
Amory and Judy Lovins
Mary and Hugh Wise (Flunison Fund)
$1,181 William Lipsey
$1,000 Lynne Angel
Mary Conover
Camille Cook
Sue Edelstein and Bill Spence
Felicity Huffman
David Hyman and Barbara Reid
Jimmy Ibbotson
Dianne and Jim Light
Jackie Merrill and Jay Hughes
Macnab Fund at Yampa Valley Community Foundation
Frank Peters and Marjory Musgrave
Bob Purvis
Sara Ransford
Curtis Robinson
Sallie Shatz
Mark Tache and Christin Cooper
Harry Teague
Anne Tobey
Anne Ware
2024 COMMUNITY SUSTAINERS
Individuals who support Aspen Journalism with a total annual gift up to $999, displayed alphabetically.
$31,580.14 was donated by community sustainers in 2024.
Jo-Anne Ahrens / Paul Andersen and Luanne Krueger-Andersen / Jim Auster / Lee Beck and John Stickney / Skip Behrhorst and Donna Fisher / Amy and Neal Beidleman / Janie and John Bennett / Sallie and Thomas Bernard / Lesly Black / Deborah Bradford / Caroline Bradford / Tim Braun / Phyllis Bronson / Kate Bulkley / Meredith Bullock / Terri Caine / Jody and Tom Cardamone / Lorrie and Rick Carlson / Anders Carlson / Suzanne Caskey and John Keleher / Anne Castle / Sharon Caulfield and Ned Andrews / David and Katherin Chase / Steve and Molly Child / Kendall Christianson / Mary Jane Click / Kim Coates / Sally Cole / John Colson / Jim Condit and Kimmy Chang / Terry Conklin / Ted Conover / Debbie Crawford-Arensman / Thomas and Cathy Crum / Charles Cunniffe / Ken Curtis / Susan Davidoff / Claire de L’Arbre / Barbara and Charles de L’Arbre / Marjorie DeLuca / Jennifer DiLalla / Kelly DiNatale / Ben Dodge / Sheila Draper / Loyal Durand / Elyse Elliot / Olivia Emery / Joe and Mary Lou Farrell / Cici Fox / David Frey / Dyana Furmansky / Jay Gallagher / Anne Chapman and Brent Gardner-Smith / Nathan and Christy Garfield / Sara Garton / John Gerstle / Lynn Nichols and Jim Gilchrist / Randy Gold / Bruce Gordon / Lindsay and Thomas Gorman / Patricia Goudvis / Hawk Greenway / Steve Hach and Martha Aimes / Michael Hanemann / Mark Harris / Hana Harvey / Ward Hauenstein / Kathy and Bill Hegberg / Sue Helm / Kristen Henry / David Hiser / John Hoffmann / Gail Holstein / Mary Ann Inouye / Michael Ireland / Greg and Sean Jeung / William Jochems / Sandy Johnson / Ann Johnson / George Johnson and Beatrix Elting / Philip Kalfas / CP and Stephen Kanipe / Jacquelyn Kasabach / John Katzenberger / Debbie Kelly / Julian Kesner / Sarah Klahn / Alexander Knuckey / Mike Kobey / Judith Kolberg / Alice Laird / Teresa Lee / Christopher Lemons / Mitchell Levy / Cristal and Mark Logan / Christina Long / Jennifer Long / Nancy Lovendahl / Catherine Lutz / Craig Mackey / Jerry Mallett / Howie Mallory and Nora Berko / John Masters / John McClow / Mike McPhee / Susan and Douglas McPherson / Beth and Kent Meager / Isabel Melvin / Pam Moore / David Mowery / Stephanie and Dave Munk / Lauri Nelson / Kendrick Neubecker / Mona Newton / Virginia Newton / Richard O’Connell / John Orr / Ruth Owens / Helen Palmer / Jane Pargiter / Virginia Passoth / Beverly Patera / Fonda Paterson / Aron Ralston / Howard Ramsdell / Ken Ransford / Karin Reid Offield / Andrew and Ivette Rothschild / Margaret and Will Roush / Carolyne Rovira / Robert and Jacqueline Hutton / Robert Rugile / Luke Runyon / Bill and Mary Sackett / Teresa Salvadore / Beth and Sloan Shoemaker / Benjamin Simon / Sandra Simpson / Steve Sklar / Kendall Smith / Sandy Smith / Steve Smith / Sarah Smith Hymes / Sandra and Stephen Stay / Elizabeth and Flynn Stewart-Severy / Bill Stirling / Edward Sullivan / Shelley Supplee / David Swersky / Megan Tackett / Karin Teague / David and Carol Thiel / Laurian Unnevehr / Paulina Vander Noordaa / Curtis Wackerle / Robert and Ruth Wade / Donna and Tom Ward / George Wear / Lara and Marc Whitley / Steven & Barbara Wickes / Suzanne Wolff / Julie Wyckoff / Antonia Zurcher