InvestigateWest has named Allison Augustyn as its new Executive Director. Augustyn, a writer and former journalist, is a strategic planning consultant with a history of working successfully with Seattle nonprofits. Robert McClure, who co-founded InvestigateWest and has led the organization since 2011, assumes the title Executive Editor.
“I’m delighted with the search committee’s choice,” says McClure. “Allison is a community leader who understands how journalism and innovation work together for powerful impact. InvestigateWest will have more time to focus on stories that matter to our readers and community.”
InvestigateWest is an independent nonprofit newsroom based in Seattle that has won more than 70 journalism awards since 2009, sparking many changes in public policy and corporate practice.
The Board of Directors unanimously elected Augustyn at a meeting in April. “Allison’s background in journalism, science, and community engagement are a perfect fit for InvestigateWest,” says Don J. Smith, President and Chair of the Board of Directors. “Her understanding of business and funding models and ongoing curiosity about the stories of our region will be a powerful combination for the future.”
“I’m proud to help further InvestigateWest’s mission to produce powerful stories and empower citizens. I can’t wait to get started.” ~Allison Augustyn, InvestigateWest's new Executive Director
Prior to her consulting work, Augustyn was a scientific writer for the Field Museum of Natural History and a journalist at the Chicago Sun-Times News Group. She earned her BA in English Literature and Theatre Dramaturgy at Lawrence University, with a focus on maintaining integrity of language by examining the context in which works are written.
“At a time when journalism is under attack, and over 30,000 journalists have lost their jobs, it is more important than ever to uncover stories that will otherwise remain hidden,” says Augustyn. “Investigative and explanatory journalism are some of the most powerful tools of a democracy, and I’m proud to help further InvestigateWest’s mission to produce powerful stories and empower citizens. I can’t wait to get started.”
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In other parts of the country, the welfare checks have resulted in children being taken out of their homes and put back into government custody
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