Penelope (Penny) Muse Abernathy is a journalist, former media executive and author of two books and six major reports tracking the state of local news in the U.S. After senior business leadership roles at The New York Times, Harvard Business Review and Wall Street Journal, she served as Knight Chair in Journalism and Digital Media Economics at the University of North Carolina from 2008 to 2020, and, most recently, as a visiting professor and researcher at Northwestern University’s Medill School.

Matt Davison, a seasoned media executive with nearly three decades of industry experience, has navigated the evolving landscape of journalism since beginning his career at The Bulletin in Bend, Oregon in 1995. His strategic leadership roles across the Pacific Northwest, including positions at the Medford Mail Tribune and Ellensburg Daily Record, culminated in his transformative decade as Regional Publisher & President of the Idaho Press, where he grew it into the state's largest newspaper.

Currently serving as Publisher of NewsData LLC, Davison leads the company's strategic direction in delivering specialized journalism to the energy sector. His passion for preserving journalism's vital role in democracy drives his approach to developing innovative solutions that ensure sustainable, comprehensive, and accurate coverage of today's critical issues.

A Communications graduate from Western Oregon University, Matt resides in Boise, Idaho, with his wife, Julia, and three daughters. 

Susan Ferris has a 38-year career in consulting, working with clients such as Georgia-Pacific, Weyerhaeuser, McDonald’s Corporation, Longview Fiber, Arco Chemical, PIPE, Inc., Volunteers of America, Sen. Mark Hatfield, and Cow Creek Indians. 

Ferris was raised as an Air Force pilot’s daughter, living in numerous locations. She received a B.A. in English literature from the University of Minnesota, and a Master of Arts in Teaching from Minnesota State University. Ferris did postgraduate work at the University of Wisconsin and taught in Minneapolis high schools for several years until she left teaching.

Torsten Kjellstrand has worked to tell stories with under-represented and
misrepresented communities for three decades. He is a Professor of Practice at the
University of Oregon School of Journalism and Communication in Eugene, Oregon. He
worked as a newspaper photographer at The Herald (Dubois County, Indiana), The
Spokesman-Review (Spokane, Washington), and The Oregonian (Portland, Oregon). He
was named Photographer of the Year by Pictures of the Year, studied as a Fulbright
Scholar in comparative literature, and spent a year at Stanford University as a John S.
Knight Fellow.

Jim Pollock is Director of Major Accounts at The Associated Press, where he leads relations with large media organizations, as well as nonprofits and academic institutions. In recent years, Jim has worked to deepen the AP’s ties with nontraditional and independent publishers through collaboration with the Institute for Nonprofit News and LION Publishers. He has worked across digital and traditional media through his career. He previously held business and editorial roles at NBC News Digital, msnbc.com, Microsoft Encarta, and The Asahi Shimbun, New York Bureau. In 2013 he founded emdash media, a media consultancy.

Jim grew up in Salem and Portland, spending his summers in the mountains and on the coast. He currently lives in Kirkland, Washington with his wife, Myriam, where they enjoy frequent visits from their three daughters.

Heidi Wright is a seasoned media executive with more than 20 years of leadership experience in local journalism. As the former publisher of multiple community newspapers and a longtime advocate for independent, rural news, she brings a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing small-market outlets. At the helm of the Fund for Oregon Rural Journalism, Heidi focuses on supporting news organizations through sustainable business models, mentorship, and innovation. Her work is grounded in a belief that credible, local journalism is essential to civic life, especially in underserved communities.