Meet the Team
Interested in joining NC Local? View our current openings.
Want to connect or have a question? Reach out at hello (at) nclocal.org.
Shannan Bowen, Founder & CEO
Shannan Bowen leads NC Local after serving as the NC Local News Workshop’s executive director since 2021. Shannan began her career as a local news reporter before moving into roles focused on audience engagement, product development and business strategy. Shannan is a graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill and has a Master’s in Media Entrepreneurship from American University. She lives with her family in Wilmington, but is often seen traveling to visit partners and communities across NC.
Laura Lee
Editorial Director
Laura Lee is NC Local’s Editorial Director, leading our statewide newsroom and other editorial initiatives. She is a journalist and former attorney and previously served as news director at Blue Ridge Public Radio, the NPR affiliate for Western North Carolina. In late 2024, she managed the organization’s award-winning coverage of Hurricane Helene, the most devastating storm in the state’s history.
Contact her at Laura (at) nclocal.org.
Una Kelley
Director of Strategic Partnerships
Una Kelley is NC Local’s Director of Strategic Partnerships, leading our fundraising and development plans. She previously served as the Director of Philanthropic Development at The Associated Press, where she led a team focused on partnerships and institutional fund development. Before entering the journalism field, Una’s career was at a variety of philanthropic, philanthropic support and nonprofit organizations.
Contact her at Una (at) nclocal.org.
Catherine Komp
Ecosystem Engagement Director
Catherine Komp is NC Local’s Ecosystem Engagement Director, where she leads our partnership network, and programs and initiatives that connect and strengthen North Carolina’s network of news and information providers. Catherine oversees NC Local’s ecosystem newsletter, a digital resource hub, our annual NC News & Information Summit, community listening and more. Previously, Catherine spent more than 20 years in nonprofit news in editorial and leadership roles, with a focus on collaborations and community-engaged journalism and storytelling.
Contact her at Catherine (at) nclocal.org.
Lilly Knoepp
Western NC Senior Engagement Reporter
Lilly Knoepp is NC Local’s regional reporter for Western NC, where she helps residents understand how they are affected by statewide issues. She served as Blue Ridge Public Radio’s first full-time reporter covering Western North Carolina from 2018 to 2025. She is a native of Franklin, NC who returned to the area after serving as the assistant editor of Women@Forbes and digital producer of the Forbes podcast network. She holds a master’s degree in international journalism from the City University of New York and earned a double major from UNC-Chapel Hill in religious studies and political science.
Contact her at Lilly (at) nclocal.org.
Ryan Oehrli
Accountability Reporter
Ryan Oehrli is a statewide accountability reporter at NC Local and a Report for America Corps Member. Before joining NC Local, Oehrli reported on criminal justice at The Charlotte Observer, public safety at the Asheville Citizen Times, and other beats at several Mississippi outlets. Oehrli covered Border Patrol and ICE operations, the killing of Iryna Zarutska and North Carolina’s pardon system, among other issues. In 2025, with colleagues at the Observer and the News & Observer in Raleigh, he was a Pulitzer Prize finalist for breaking news reporting on Hurricane Helene.
Contact him at Ryan (at) nclocal.org
Sasha Schroeder
Digital Engagement Producer
Sasha previously worked as a producer for POLITICO Europe’s Brussels newsroom and before that worked for an NGO that produced research on supporting independent media in emerging democracies around the world. A graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill, Sasha’s work has also appeared in local newsrooms across the state. Outside of work, Sasha enjoys hiking, traveling, and exploring all that Western North Carolina has to offer.
Contact her at Sasha (at) nclocal.org.
Jacob Biba
Community Colleges Investigative Reporter
Jacob Biba produces accountability reporting about the state’s community colleges system, working in partnership with Open Campus, a national nonprofit newsroom that embeds higher-ed reporters in local newsrooms. Prior to joining NC Local, Jacob reported for state and national outlets, including the Asheville Citizen Times, where he reported on Hurricane Helene recovery. He lives in Asheville with his family.
Contact him at Jacob (at) nclocal.org.
Diara Townes
Program Manager
Diara J. Townes is NC Local’s program manager, supporting various initiatives and projects ranging from community listening to our statewide news summit. She is an award-winning environmental engagement journalist based in central North Carolina. Her freelance reporting uplifts community-centered stories shaped by state and national trends, shared through her newsletter, The Curious Scout. She has worked in program management with Aspen Digital and Lenfest Institute’s Local News Summit, audience engagement for the Sunlight Research Center, and research consulting for the Disinfo Defense League. Townes holds a BS in Marine and Environmental Science from Hampton University and an MA in Social Journalism from CUNY, where her capstone examined Superstorm Sandy’s disaster response and recovery.
Contact her at Diara (at) nclocal.org.
Our Contributors
Mosi Secret
Mosi Secret is a journalist based in Durham. His work has appeared in The New York Times, This American Life and other outlets.
Mark Jurkowitz
Mark is based in the Outer Banks and is the publisher and co-owner of the Outer Banks Voice digital community news site.
Daniel Walton
Daniel is a Western NC-based freelance journalist who covers political, agricultural and environmental stories.
Ben McNeely
Ben has practiced journalism in some form and fashion for more than 25 years. He currently serves as editorial advisor for student media at North Carolina State University.
Jessica Wakeman
Jessica is a journalist living in Asheville with 20 years of experience as a reporter and editor. She has written for the Guardian, Rolling Stone, Glamour, Marie Claire, and other publications
Kelly Hinchcliffe
Kelly Hinchcliffe is an award-winning journalist and freelance writer specializing in education, health and finance. She has worked for WRAL News, The Herald-Sun and other publications.
Our Regional Ambassadors
Abē Levine
Abē Levine is a writer, teacher, and reporter. He began doing food writing in Minneapolis as a means to marry his interests in food justice, eating and talking to strangers. He has worked as a podcast producer and reporter at Connecticut Public Radio and National Public Radio and most recently, he led educational programming at WFDD in Winston-Salem.
Anna James
Anna is a community-centered leader and digital equity advocate in western North Carolina. She works as a Library Technician at Tri-County Community College, represents the region in the Digital Opportunities Learning Cohort, and is currently pursuing her doctorate at UNC Chapel Hill.
Our Board
Melanie Sill is a Pulitzer-Prize winning editor who held leadership roles at The News & Observer and other newsrooms. She was the founder of the NC Local News Workshop and helped develop the concept for NC Local.
Daniel Williams is the co-founder and CEO of BlueLena. He previously cofounded a marketing tech company and has worked as a media executive for several national organizations, including McClatchy and The New York Times Co. Daniel also serves on several industry boards.
Orage Quarles III is the former publisher of The News & Observer and other local news outlets. He serves as the board chair for Journalism Funding Partners and on the boards of the Freedom Forum, North Carolina History Museum and Dorothea Dix Park Conservatory.
Chris Weatherly is a seasoned digital executive who most recently served as VP of Digital for Capitol Broadcasting Company. He has held board positions with the Local Media Association and co-chaired the broadcast committee for the Local Media Consortium. Today, Chris consults organizations on digital innovation, sales strategy and enablement.
Dr. T. Kenn Gaither is the third dean of Elon University School of Communications. He has held leadership positions at Elon University for two decades and also has significant professional experience in public relations and strategic communications.
Tony Elkins is a faculty member at Poynter and leads the Institute’s early and mid-career leadership workshops. He is a founding member of the News Product Alliance and has an extensive product and project management background.
Michael Schoenfeld is a partner at Brunswick Group, where he heads the firm’s education practice. Prior to joining Brunswick in 2022, Michael was chief communications officer and vice president for public affairs and government relations at Duke University.