Announcing New Colorado Press Association Board Directors
The Colorado Press Association is pleased to announce the appointment of four new board directors: Brian Porter with Prairie Mountain Media, Lori Bergen with the University of Colorado – Boulder; Tamara Chuang with the Colorado Sun, and Bob Brown with Swift Communications. “Our new board is a diverse group representing publishers and executives, educators, and on-the-ground journalists. The diverse set of voices is incredibly important and is our strength,” said Dan Petty, CPA Board President and President of MediaNews Group. “It’s how we feel confident in our ability to set our strategic direction for CPA to help strengthen journalism in Colorado.”
Brian Porter is publisher of two daily and four weekly news products in Brush, Fort Morgan and Sterling, located in Logan and Morgan Counties in Northeast Colorado. He previously managed the Akron newspaper in Washington County. Prior to joining Prairie Mountain Media, Porter served as editor and general manager of the Burleson, Texas, newspaper and other related operations with MediaNews Group. His career also included editor and general manager roles overseeing a variety of news operations for American Community Newspapers based in Plano, Texas, and began his career with Today Newspapers based in Duncanville, Texas. Porter has also been a contributing reporter for the Dallas Morning News and Fort Worth Star-Telegram, and has received Associated Press and various national and state awards for reporting. Among his reporting scope has been politics, sports and general assignments. Porter has served on state and local boards in various capacities. He is an avid horseman and outdoorsman.
Lori Bergen, Ph.D., is the founding dean of the College of Media, Communication, and Information and James E. de Castro Chair in Global Media Studies. As founding dean of CU Boulder’s first new college in more than 50 years, Bergen is leading the charge for an interdisciplinary approach to media, communication, and information education that is enriched by data and immersive technologies. Bergen came to CU-Boulder from Marquette University, where she was dean of the J. William and Mary Diederich College of Communication. During her tenure at Marquette, she spearheaded initiatives focused on partnering professionals and students to create high-impact journalism and improve learning. Before joining academia, Bergen worked for several years as a journalist. She holds a bachelor’s degree in history and political science and a master’s degree in journalism and mass communication from Kansas State University, and a Ph.D. in mass communication with a minor in organizational behavior from Indiana University-Bloomington.
Tamara Chuang spent the better part of the last two decades covering technology and business news at newspapers, including The Denver Post and The Orange County Register. In June 2018, she jumped at the chance to start The Colorado Sun to figure out how to create a sustainable local news business and provide valued stories for the community. The Colorado Sun is a public benefits corporation that is 100% locally owned by journalists and relies on member and community support. In her spare time, she enjoys sharing her garden with wildlife, watching Miyazaki films, and spending time with her family.
Bob Brown was named President of Swift Communications in November 2008. He continues to serve as Chief Operating Officer having held that position since January 2005. He was the General Manager for Colorado Mountain News Media from 1999 to 2004. Brown has also been the Publisher of the Vail Daily, Summit Daily News, Summit County Journal, and Leadville Chronicle. He has over 25 years of experience in the newspaper and communications industries. Brown is a member of the Youth Foundation of Eagle County and the Vail Valley Charitable Fund. He also volunteered with Vail Leadership and as a youth coach with the Western Eagle County Recreation. Brown holds a B.S. degree in Business with an emphasis in Marketing from Colorado State University.
The goals set by the previous board for this coming year include: Helping CPA members with business innovation and transition after an incredibly difficult past year; Supporting the advancement of journalism in Colorado; Improving diversity, equity, and inclusion in journalism in Colorado; Supporting quality journalism; Focusing on defending public notices and access to records through advocacy efforts; Improving the Colorado Press Network revenue model and combating print revenue decline.
The CPA board will work to achieve these goals with much help at the committee level in key areas like membership, convention, advocacy, revenue, and finance.
The 2021-2022 Colorado Press Association Board of Directors is President, Dan Petty of MediaNews Group; Vice President, Niki Turner of the Rio Blanco Herald Times; Treasurer, Becky Hemmann of the Berthoud Weekly Surveyor; Secretary, Jennifer Hefty of Gannett; Director, Lee Bachlet of the Pueblo Chieftain; Director, Alfonzo Porter of Denver Urban Spectrum; Director, Susan Greene of COLab; Director, Lori Bergen of CU Boulder; Director, Tamara Chuang of the Colorado Sun; Director, Bob Brown of Swift Communications; Director, Brian Porter of Prairie Mountain Media.