18 months of Boomtown
An update on some recent changes
Dear Boomtown readers,
It’s been 18 months since Stephanie Nakhleh and I had the idea to start a new publication for the citizens of Los Alamos. In the fall of 2023, we launched Boomtown and since then, we’ve grown to nearly 2,000 subscribers and built a solid reputation as a trusted and independent source of news in Los Alamos.
With growth inevitably comes change, though. I am sad to report that Stephanie has decided to leave Boomtown to pursue other opportunities. Her insightful storytelling has always been a driver of discussion and change in Los Alamos, and I wish her the best in her new endeavors.
The growth of Boomtown has been fueled by the generous financial support of our subscribers. Your contributions, along with grant funding from the New Mexico Local News Fund and Press Forward NM, have allowed us to add new expertise to our organization. In recent months, Boomtown has added three new people: Ryan Lowery, Megan Hesselink, and Emily Piltch.
Boomtown’s new Senior Editor, Ryan Lowery, is an award-winning investigative reporter with deep connections to the New Mexico journalism community. His work has been published by the Associated Press, the Los Angeles Times, Source New Mexico, the Las Vegas Optic, and many others. He’s the recipient of the Dixon First Amendment Freedom Award from the New Mexico Foundation for Open Government and the Sunshine Award from the New Mexico Press Association for his reporting that highlighted lack of transparency from multiple government agencies.
Megan Hesselink has more than a decade of experience as a marketing professional for a diverse array of organizations including Cabela’s, Hilton Hotels & Resorts, and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. She moved with her family to Los Alamos in 2019, and is responsible for leading Boomtown’s business development and marketing efforts.
After working for nearly 20 years at the intersection of health-equity promotion and community planning around the United States, Emily Piltch returned to her hometown of Los Alamos in 2020. Emily’s experience with social systems analysis and her critical understanding of the challenges that affect citizens and communities, play an important role in Boomtown’s story research and development.
These changes will help us to continue with the mission we’ve aimed for since that first day 18 months ago: to build a stronger and more-connected community through independent local journalism.
What hasn’t changed is that Boomtown is still an independent, locally owned news organization focused on serving Los Alamos County. We’re here for you, our readers, and we always welcome feedback on how we can better serve the community. Please drop us a line at editors@boomtownlosalamos.org with any thoughts or questions.
Thanks again for your support,
-Minesh