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Bert Etling edited the Ashland Daily Tidings from 2014 to 2019, leading a local news revival for the cherished community paper that saw a five-fold increase in local content and 30 percent increase in circulation. Before that, he edited The Cambrian, a weekly newspaper published by the San Luis Obispo Tribune, part of the McClatchy Corp. During his 13 years as managing editor for The Cambrian, the paper won numerous awards, including General Excellence, the top prize in the prestigious California Newspaper Publishers Association Better Newspapers contest, and was also runner-up for three straight years. The paper also took second place in the nationwide Inland Press Association contest for two straight years. Etling also earned several individual awards, primarily for editorial writing and newspaper design at The Cambrian and while editing the Santa Ynez Valley News, the Solvang, Calif., paper where he began his community journalism career in 1982. Etling has a degree in philosophy from Stanford University.

David Sommers is a senior executive with over 20 years of leadership experience across journalism, government, corporate, and philanthropic sectors. Most recently, David served as the inaugural publisher of the Rogue Valley Times and Chief Revenue Officer of EO Media Group, where he spearheaded business growth and sustainability efforts. Before joining EO Media, he served as CEO of Pacific Community Media and publisher of the Long Beach Post and Long Beach Business Journal; Chief Operating Officer of a multinational private equity fund and Associate Vice President at Molina Healthcare, a Fortune 150 company, where he led internal and executive communications, cultural competency initiatives, change management and workforce engagement efforts. As the chief communications executive for Los Angeles County, he oversaw critical public information campaigns, managed multilingual outreach initiatives, and played a key role in managing high-stakes crises. Sommers has a B.A., Government and Journalism, California State University, Sacramento; has completed graduate coursework in Public Administration, California State University, Northridge; and participated in the Executive Leadership Program, University of Southern California, Price School of Public Policy.

Holly Dillemuth (pronounced Dill-eh-muhth) has been a professional journalist since 2011. She covered water conflicts, agriculture, and the Klamath Tribes as well as city and county government and major corporations during her more than seven years at Herald and News in Klamath Falls. She also recently covered the water shutoff in the Klamath Basin as well as the Bootleg Fire in Klamath County for Jefferson Public Radio.

Dillemuth has deep roots in southern Oregon. She grew up in Phoenix, Oregon, and graduated from Southern Oregon University in 2010 with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Communication with a journalism emphasis. She earned her Master of Arts degree in Public Affairs Reporting (Journalism) from University of Illinois, Springfield in 2011.

While a student at SOU, Holly worked in downtown Ashland at Mountain Supply for the late Bill Gilliam. She also wrote for The Siskiyou newspaper at SOU and as an intern for the Daily Tidings when it was located on Siskiyou Boulevard. She is a big proponent of student newspapers, journalism education, and community storytelling and is excited to report the news much closer to home. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, running, and baking.

Ashland.news city reporter Morgan Rothborne wrote for the Medford Mail Tribune and Rogue Valley Times before joining Ashland.news in August 2023. She previously coordinated research for Common Ground Magazine, studied communications at Southern Oregon University, spent a semester abroad in Morocco with the CIEE Council on International Educational Exchange, and earned a bachelor’s degree in history at Portland State University Urban Honors College, where she also wrote for the Pacific Sentinel and completed an undergraduate thesis with a focus in medieval history and the history of ideas.

Her experience also includes teaching with The People’s Colloquium in Portland; serving as a domestic violence advocate with the Emergency Support Shelter in Longview, Washington; as communications and research coordinator with the Portland Police Historical Society & Museum; and collections specialist with the Oregon Maritime Museum in Portland. In her free time she gardens, paints, practices calligraphy and hikes. She’s passionate about journalism as an essential element that brings a society together, keeps neighbors informed and connected, and holds anyone accountable by putting promises to paper and always asking questions.

Associate Editor Steven Mitchell brings deep experience in community journalism to his role as Associate Editor at Ashland.news. He joined the newsroom in July 2025 after reporting for several publications in Eastern Oregon, including the Blue Mountain Eagle and the Malheur Enterprise. During his tenure, both newspapers earned top honors from the Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association, and the Enterprise was nationally recognized by the Poynter Institute in 2024 for its accountability reporting. Steven has also received multiple individual awards for enterprise, education, and business coverage.

Originally from Washington state, Steven graduated from Clark College in Vancouver in 2017. He is passionate about the role of local journalism in a healthy democracy. Outside the newsroom, he enjoys traveling, spending time with family, and playing golf.

Tiffany Sullivan worked as an account executive at The Oregonian for 20 years, where she handled the events category, helped create the sponsorship program and assisted with the production of several custom publications. A Portland native, Sullivan studied advertising and marketing management at Portland State University and the University of Oregon. She currently owns Blue Sprocket Brokerage, an agency that handles digital and print advertising, creative, and custom publications for Ashland.news, Oregon ArtsWatch, YachatsNews, Salem Reporter and others.

When she is not working, Sullivan enjoys spending time with her family at the beach. She lives in West Linn with her husband, two children and their dog. [email protected]

Ryan Pfeil (file) has worked in journalism in some capacity for nearly half his life, starting at the Colorado Springs weekly The Woodmen Edition in 2005.

He worked at the Klamath Falls Herald & News from 2007-2011 as a videographer, general assignment reporter, and an education and features reporter. His longest reporting gig was at the Medford Mail Tribune, where he worked as a reporter and web editor from 2011-2021.

He has won multiple first place awards for writing and video from the Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association, Society of Professional Journalists, and C.B. Blethen Memorial Awards.

He currently works for the Jackson County Library District’s marketing department, where he produces videos. He began his part-time editing post at Ashland.news in 2022.

When he’s not working, Ryan enjoys playing hobby board games and video games, learning about space and dinosaurs, watercolor painting, and being a dad.

Cameron Aalto is a recent graduate of Southern Oregon University after having studied English, Native American Studies, and Ethnic and Racial Studies. During his time at SOU, he was an active in the Social Justice Equity Center as an office assistant for the Racial Justice Team, as well as tutoring at the Writing Center. He was a member of the school’s Multicultural Coalition, Powwow Planning Committee, and the Native American Student Union, which he co-chaired from 2021-2023. He has volunteered with community organizations including the Northwest Seasonal Workers Association and the Rogue Valley Fire Relief Center, and at community events including the Queer Indigenous Gathering, SOU’s annual powwow, and SOU’s Black Youth Leadership Conference and Climate Justice Conference. When he’s not busy going to class or working, Cameron can be found cooking, reading, hiking, or snuggling with his dog.

Staff

Bert Etling

David Sommers

Holly Dillemuth

Morgan Rothborne

Steven Mitchell

Tiffany Sullivan

Ryan Pfeil

Cameron Aalto

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