Professional Development

Meet the NEX GEN class of 2018-19

Top Row: Mark Adams, Ethan Aden and Mickie Anderson
Second Row: Tonya Maddox, Cliff McCollum and Andrea Vick
Top Row: Mark Adams, Ethan Aden and Mickie Anderson
Second Row: Tonya Maddox, Cliff McCollum and Andrea Vick
Posted

SNPA has announced the protégés and their mentors for the NEX GEN Class of 2018-19.  They will meet for the first time this week at SNPA's News Industry Summit in Nashville.

The NEX GEN Class of 2018-19 includes:

MARK ADAMS is audience acquisition and retention manager for The Post and Courier in Charleston, S.C. He has been a mid-level manager in circulation for The Post and Courier for several years. P.J. Browning, publisher of the newspaper, describes him as "an up and coming manager with high potential." He recently has been assigned to manage audience sales and retention, with a focus on both print and digital subscribers. His mentor will be David Kirkman, vice president/audience services, Richmond Times-Dispatch, Richmond, Va.

ETHAN ADEN is digital sales manager for the Northwest Florida Daily News, Fort Walton Beach, Fla. He is skilled in search engine marketing, search engine optimization, targeted digital display advertising, social media and email marketing. Through the NEX GEN program, Aden is seeking to strengthen his industry knowledge, professional relationships, analytical/leadership skills, aptitude for innovation, as well as his knowledge of digital media marketing. His mentor will be Conan Gallaty, chief digital officer, Tampa Bay Times, St. Petersburg, Fla.

MICKIE ANDERSON is the local news editor at The Gainesville Sun, Gainesville, Fla. She leads a team of reporters and interns who produce content for print and digital editions of the paper. Douglas Ray, editor and general manager, nominated her for the NEX GEN program, saying: "She has the talent and drive to be an industry leader at a high level.  She displays a passion for our mission. Her background is solid and her future is bright." Her mentor will be Lawrence McConnell, executive editor, The Roanoke Times, Roanoke, Va.

TONYA MADDOX is publisher of the Montrose Daily Press, Montrose, Colo., which is published by Wick Communications. Maddox sought to participate in the NEX GEN program, saying she is "always searching for opportunities to grow, strengthen my industry knowledge and network with other professionals." She said: "I am passionate about journalism, and the importance of newspapers in general. I would like to be one of the industry gamechangers." Her mentor will be Gloria Fletcher, president and publisher, Tulsa World, Tulsa, Okla.

CLIFF McCOLLUM is managing editor of Gulf Coast Media, Foley, Ala.  Since joining the staff in April 2014, McCollum has consistently been one of the hardest working members of the staff, serving not only as managing editor of the four weekly papers but as the primary editor, reporter and photographer of two of those papers. Parks Rogers, publisher, said: "He does not shy away from controversy ... and won the prestigious Freedom of Information – First Amendment award from the Alabama Press Association twice." His mentor will be David Woronoff, publisher, The Pilot, Southern Pines, N.C.

ANDREA VICK is the local sales manager for the Austin American-Statesman, Austin, Texas. She is responsible for managing a team of five multimedia account executives and more than three million dollars in annual revenue. She had spent her entire career with Cox Enterprises, until GateHouse Media acquired the Austin paper. Vick is looking to the NEX GEN program to give her new perspectives, as well as feedback from "outsiders" to strengthen her skills as an industry leader. Her mentor will be Scott Stine, vice president/advertising and marketing, Arkansas Democrat Gazette, Little Rock.

NEX GEN, Adams, Aden, Anderson, Maddox, McCollum, Vick, Kirkman, Gallaty, McConnell, Woronoff, Fletcher, Stine
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