With each passing semester, Downtown Devil aims to put itself in a position to give its staffers more opportunities to cover the downtown Phoenix area better. This semester is no different, as Downtown Devil has added a new top editor position and is expanding the organization’s managing board.
Jayson Chesler will serve as the inaugural multimedia director, responsible for overseeing all non-written content — from interactive graphics to long-form photography stories. As an online-only publication, Downtown Devil seeks to take full advantage of the storytelling capabilities the web allows.
Chesler is also one of four new members to Downtown Devil’s managing board. The board consists of students within the organization who help plot out where Downtown Devil is going as an organization. The other new board members are Danika Worthington, who will also serve as the new education editor; Kimberly Koerth, chief copy editor; and Miguel Otarola, arts and entertainment co-editor.
They join current board members Matt Longdon, news editor; Annika Cline, the director of audio; and Domenico Nicosia.
The board is part of the organizational transition Downtown Devil made over the summer — from five managing editors who held equal power to a more traditional structure of an executive editor and editor-in-chief.
Connor Radnovich will move up this semester from editor-in-chief to the executive editor position. The executive editor will oversee all aspects of the organization, with emphasis on the growing community initiatives department and business development.
Joe Martin will fill the editor-in-chief role after serving as business assistant news editor in the fall. The editor-in-chief will directly oversee all content produced and published by the organization.
Mauro Whiteman, who served as executive editor in the fall, is working at Cronkite News Service in Washington this semester and has moved on from Downtown Devil after being with the organization since January 2011.
The last few semesters have solidified a new paradigm for Downtown Devil moving forward. Downtown Devil was founded by five Walter Cronkite School freshmen who saw the need for a downtown-specific news organization. The majority of the founders and original managing editors stayed with the publication for several years, creating an irreproducible time of stability at the top of the organization.
Since their departure, Downtown Devil has had to replace several top editor positions every semester, putting new students in roles and reinventing the organization in little ways each time.
But, with all the changes, our primary mission has remained constant — to provide the best hyperlocal news coverage of downtown Phoenix for its residents. Downtown Phoenix is a unique place with an exciting future, and we are privileged to be covering it for you.
Thank you for your support.
To view all staff changes for the spring semester, please consult our masthead. Any questions can be directed to news@downtowndevil.com
