A newly formed nonprofit dedicated to supporting and sustaining Vermont journalism has elected its first board of directors.
Founded in June 2025, the Vermont Journalism Coalition represents more than 40 newspapers, television stations, radio stations and digital news outlets across the state. Its mission is to represent the shared interests of professional news organizations in Vermont and to advocate for the principles of journalism.
In its first leadership elections late last month, the coalition selected nine people to serve on its board:
- Dom Amato — Assistant news director, WCAX-TV
- Bridget Higdon — Publisher and editor, O’Rourke Media Group (Saint Albans Messenger, Essex Reporter, Milton Independent, Colchester Sun)
- Lisa Scagliotti — Editor and publisher, Waterbury Roundabout
- Paul Fixx — Editor, Hardwick Gazette
- John Flowers — Senior reporter, Addison County Independent
- Lisa Loomis — Editor, Valley Reporter
- Tim Calabro — Editor and publisher, White River Valley Herald
- Mark Davis — News director, Vermont Public
- Cassandra Hemenway — Editor-in-chief, The Bridge
Last week, the board chose the officers who will serve on its executive committee. Davis was elected president of the board, Higdon as vice president, Hemenway as treasurer and Calabro as secretary.
Davis, who previously reported for the Valley News and Seven Days, said he was honored to serve as inaugural president of the coalition.
“Our work will help foster connections between Vermont’s news outlets and allow us to work together on editorial and economic matters of joint interest as we all navigate a landscape that grows more challenging by the year,” he said. “Vermont has long been blessed with a vigorous, collegial press corps, and we are determined to build an organization that helps those proud traditions endure.”
Higdon, who oversees the newsrooms of four Franklin County and Chittenden County newspapers, said she was “very much looking forward to setting this new organization up for success.”
“The VJC will help elevate and advocate for the more than 40 news outlets keeping us informed on a daily basis,” she said. “If Vermonters value that work, it’s important that we put our policies and our dollars where our mouth is.”
The board’s first task will be to hire a part-time executive director to lead the coalition on a day-to-day basis. Potential candidates for the position can learn more about it here.
The coalition launched its website last week, at www.vermontjournalism.com.
Support for the coalition is generously provided by the Vermont Community Foundation’s Press Forward Vermont initiative and the University of Vermont’s Center for Community News.
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