Newsmakers

Promotions, new hires and other staff changes at Texas newspapers and reported in the February 2024 edition of the Texas Press Messenger.

Promotions, new hires and other employment changes at Texas newspapers.

MELISSA FEDERSPILL

Uvalde Leader-News

UVALDE – Uvalde Leader-News journalist Melissa Federspill has been promoted to assistant managing editor, following five years as a staff writer.

Federspill earned a bachelor of business administration from Incarnate Word University in 2012 and a master of science in urban planning from the University of Texas at San Antonio in 2016. Prior to joining the ULN, she operated her own business in San Antonio, Wash Shake Wag, a boutique dog grooming salon, from 2008- 2016, and helped launch a grassroots initiative to address food insecurity in San Antonio’s urban neighborhoods.

“Melissa did amazing work covering the Uvalde school district in the aftermath of the Robb tragedy, and she has continued that professionalism through the creation of our Daily Update,” said publisher Craig Garnett. “The product she edits for daily distribution by email has become increasingly popular. It began with about 1,600 addresses and is now near 2,000.”

Federspill has worked closely with managing editor Meghann Garcia over the last several years to map out special projects, including the “We Remember” magazine that coincided with the one-year mark of the May 24, 2022, attack. More recently she has been involved with the creation of a video tribute to Robb victims, Garnett said.

In 2023, the South Texas Press Association named Federspill Journalist of the Year for her work in 2022. She also won first place in news writing and feature writing. The Texas Press Association awarded her a first place in news writing and a second place in feature writing. She also won a first place award from the National Newspaper Association for best localized national story in the non-daily division.

Before May 24, Federspill was one of 13 journalists across the nation selected to join the fifth Higher Education Media Fellowship organized by the Institute for Citizens & Scholars in 2022.

LAUREN ROSENBERG

Marshall News Messenger

MARSHALL – Lauren Rosenberg has joined the staff of the Marshall News Messenger as sports editor.

Rosenberg graduated from the University of Missouri with two degrees in communication and interdisciplinary studies with emphasis in journalism and women’s and gender studies. While at Mizzou, she worked in broadcasting for the student radio station, KCOU 88.1 FM, and covering postseason tournaments for the volleyball and women’s basketball teams, among other sports.

Before making her way to Marshall, she dedicated her post graduation life to freelancing. She has covered the WNBA since the 2021 season and had the opportunity to cover Team USA at the Tokyo Olympics with Fans Only Sportz Network. She also continued to cover the Missouri women’s basketball team for two years.

TERESA KENDRICK

Wimberley View

WIMBERLEY – Teresa Kendrick, features writer with the Wimberley View, has been promoted to editor.

She has been with the Wimberley View since February 2023.

Madi Telschow will continue on in her role as editor of the Dripping Springs Century News.

“Madi has done a tremendous job for us in a time of transition for the Wimberley View, and want to thank her for both her quality work as a journalist and her steady hand managing the View,” Publisher Dalton Sweat said. “I look forward to how she will continue her role in Dripping Springs as we move forward.” Kendrick comes to the new position with a wealth of experience both as a journalist and in the Wimberley community.

Kendrick studied at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism at Arizona State University and later earned a second degree in interior architecture at the University of Texas at Austin.

She was the public relations officer for Laguna Gloria Art Museum in Austin before accepting a marketing position near Guadalajara, Mexico, where she lived for 15 years. For a number of years, she wrote a bylined arts column for the Guadalajara Reporter, the largest English-language newspaper in the country. She relinquished that position to write a 300-page reference book and guide to the Lake Chapala region of Jalisco.

She has been an active freelance writer, publicist and marketer for a number of organizations. In 2006 and 2007 she co-organized relief efforts in Texas to support Mexican museum-level folk artists and served for years on the board of Austin Friends of Folk Art. She began volunteer work with the Wimberley Players in 2008 and later served on its board for seven years. From 2020-2022 she was the publicist for the Wimberley Community Civic Club.

CAITLYN DRUCKHAMMER

The Navasota Examiner

NAVASOTA – Caitlyn Druckhammer has returned to the staff of the Navasota Examiner as community marketing consultant and sales representative.

The appointment was announced by Examiner Publisher Ana Cosino. “We are confident that Caitlyn will do a great job representing The Examiner,” Cosino said, adding that Druckhammer has a “lot of marketing experience that will help all of our businesses, organizations and schools thrive.”

Druckhammer, a lifelong resident of Navasota, has experience working with the Examiner staff in a previous role as an employee of the Navasota-Grimes County Chamber of Commerce. In 2019, she began assisting the Examiner with part-time sales and community development.

“My goal is to engage and build long lasting relationships with more businesses throughout Grimes County,” Druckhammer said. Founded as print media, the Examiner provides marketing solutions over an array of platforms, including digital tools and on site television broadcasting through OnPremise Network.

BETH FOLEY

Jackson County Herald-Tribune

EDNA – Beth Foley has joined the Jackson County Herald-Tribune reporting team.

Graduating with a degree in journalism and political science, she started her career as a freelance writer for Louisville’s Courier Journal, covering city council meetings and crafting feature stories.

As her family grew, she shifted to teaching English, yearbook and various other subjects, seeking a more family-friendly schedule.

Reflecting on her transition from teaching back to newspapers, Foley shared, “I’m looking forward to being back in a newsroom and covering the meetings and the games, bringing local news to people so that they’re informed, good or bad, so that they can make better decisions about what’s going on in their lives.”

Foley’s experience includes sports writing at the Palestine Herald Press and the Tyler Morning Telegraph, but she found her way back to newspapers as the news editor at the Palestine paper.