What We Do

Foothills Forum researches and reports  fact-based, nonpartisan news for the residents of Rappahannock County, Virginia, and the surrounding region. We are an editorially independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit engaged in a journalistic partnership with the weekly Rappahannock News, which publishes our stories, photos, graphics and videography in print and online. Our award-winning journalism is also made available free of charge to other news outlets in nearby communities. We are supported by generous individuals and organizations who believe in our mission: Keeping our audience informed and engaged through in-depth coverage of local issues, events and stories that matter most to our rural area.

Our History

Explore the key milestones that have shaped Foothills Forum since its inception.

2013

In the spring, during a monthly Rappahannock News “Fourth Estate Friday” gathering where readers discussed what they’d like to see in the weekly paper, a desire was expressed for deeper reporting on key community issues. Two of those in attendance – former philanthropy executives Bill Dietel and Larry “Bud” Meyer – organized a series of follow-up meetings with some 75 local leaders and influencers to explore how to help the newspaper. From these, consensus emerged around the idea of creating a separate nonprofit news organization to provide in-depth reporting to the short-staffed RappNews.

2014

In February, Foothills Forum was founded as an independent, nonpartisan Virginia-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit with the goal of providing high-quality, nonprofit journalism to the residents of Rappahannock County. The nonprofit was legally built atop a previous nonprofit, the Radii Foundation. Bud Meyer became chair of the nonprofit board.

2015

Before producing news stories, the nonprofit decided to learn the attitudes of county residents through the Foothills Forum Survey, developed in conjunction with the University of Virginia’s Center for Survey Research. The survey was mailed to every Rappahannock household with a mailbox or post office box – nearly 3,000 total – and yielded a remarkably high response rate of 42%. The results guided our initial news coverage by telling us residents’ priorities and concerns. 

2016

In April, the first major Foothills report was published in the Rappahannock News Life in the Jewel of Virginia,” a four-part series detailing the survey findings, was written by freelance reporter Christopher Connell, a veteran journalist who had worked in the Associated Press Washington bureau.

Several months later, Foothills produced its second major series, “Rappahannock’s Digital Dilemma.” Reported and written by veteran freelance journalist Randy Rieland, it keyed on a major finding of the survey: county residents were unhappy with inadequate broadband and cell coverage. A community forum to discuss the issue attracted 40 people.

Eager to expand its reporting strength, Foothills hired Ohio University journalism student Julia Fair as its first summer intern.

2017

Foothills produced two in-depth reports. A three-part series, “The Land, a Plan, a Future,” examined the county’s planning and zoning. Another three-part series in the fall, “A Troubling Diagnosis,” revealed health care shortfalls in rural Rappahannock. Both were followed by well-attended public forums to discuss the issues raised in each series. 

2018

Journalist Sara Schonhardt, a former foreign correspondent for The Wall Street Journal, was hired as the first “Foothills Fellow” to help expand our news coverage.

In midyear, the PATH Foundation granted Foothills $10,000 for health-related news coverage. It was the first of yearly grants that PATH has continued to provide.

In partnership with the Rappahannock News, Foothills launched a student “Essay Contest,” (since renamed the “Storytelling Contest”) to encourage area young people learn how to express themselves through writing or other mediums. Winners were given cash prizes and their entries were featured in the Rappahannock News. Within a matter of years, the prize pot had grown to more than $2,000.

Foothills became a member of the Institute for Nonprofit News, then a fledgling umbrella organization for the emerging nonprofit, community-supported news movement. As an INN member, Foothills became eligible for NewsMatch, a national fundraising campaign to support nonprofit newsrooms.

2019

Foothills began publishing “Opioid Ripples,” a deeply reported, six-month investigation examining the opioid crisis in Virginia’s Piedmont. The four-county, six-part series was a collaboration with the nonprofit Piedmont Journalism Foundation in Fauquier County. In addition to appearing in the Rappahannock News, the series was published by newspapers throughout the region.

Late in the year, Report for America approved the Foothills/RappNews application for a full-time RFA journalist – the first in Virginia awarded by the national initiative that places young “corp members” in newsrooms around the country. 

Foothills journalist Bob Hurley produced the first of his “Doer’s Profiles.” Appearing regularly in the Rappahannock News, the profiles highlight ordinary people who make extraordinary contributions to the community.

2020

In rapid response to the COVID-19 outbreak, Foothills and the RappNews developed a free daily newsletter – the “C-19 Daily Update” – initially emailed to 550 local residents. The “C-19 Daily” kept the community informed about local coronavirus developments and included  in-depth Foothills reporting on local impacts. As the pandemic waned, the newsletter evolved into “The Daily” and featured four stories of local interest. The number of free subscribers eventually grew to more than 1,700 with a phenomenally high “open rate” that consistently tops 60% of subscribers who view the email. The RappNews and Foothills also began a daily afternoon text service and it soon developed a following of several hundred free subscribers.

Report for America journalist Rachel Needam began, helping expand news coverage in Rappahannock.

Veteran nonprofit leader Andy McLeod was hired as part-time executive director of Foothills Forum, serving for three years before stepping down.

The Virginia Press Association awarded the Rappahannock News eight first place awards, including two for the Foothills opioids regional reporting collaboration. The Virginia Press Foundation also awarded Foothills co-founders Bud Meyer and Bill Dietel its inaugural VPA Leadership & Innovation Award.

2021

Rachel Needham became editor of the Rappahannock News and Report for America awarded Foothills and the RappNews a second young journalist: Julia Shanahan, a recent University of Iowa graduate.

The  Virginia Press Association awarded the Rappahannock News its Sweepstakes awards in news and overall quality, making the paper the best weekly in the state. The recognition was on the strength of a Best in Show and seven first-place awards, including recognition for  COVID news coverage and two other in-depth series: “Protecting Paradise,” which explored the present and future of the county’s pristine environment, and “Home Sweet Home,” which delved deeply into housing availability and affordability in the county.

In the fall, the Rappahannock News  published a deeply reported, data-driven analysis by Foothills journalist Tim Carrington about the county’s inequitable tax system.

At the Foothills annual meeting in November, co-founder and board chair Bud Meyer stepped down to become Chair Emeritus and board member. Andy Alexander was elected board chair.

2022

The Virginia Press Association again honored the Rappahannock News with its top News Sweepstakes award, with the weekly and the nonprofit combining for 30 total prizes, including two Best in Shows and 16 first places.

The RappNews published “This Place,” an ambitious Foothills reporting project involving 11 reporters that explored the political and cultural growing divide in Rappahannock County, The report was based on extensive interviews of more than 70 local people – a mix of “come here” and “been here” residents from a wide range backgrounds. 

Foothills expanded its storytelling with a video project featuring Amisville’s popular carnival and parade.

2023

Emily Oaks was hired as the executive director of Foothills Forum. She is a veteran of local news, having more recently served as editor of the Star-Exponent in neighboring Culpeper County.

Foothills Forum joined Virginia Humanities and the Karsh Institute of Democracy in hosting a two-day Virginia Local News Summit in Richmond. In the lead-up, Foothills freelance journalist Christopher Connell produced “News About Local News,” a three-part virtual white paper for the conference. The project looked at the local news ecosystem in the Commonwealth. It was published by news outlets throughout the state.

The Virginia Press Association again cited the Rappahannock News as the winner of its News Sweepstakes award, based on 19 overall awards, two Best of Show awards and 14 first places.Many were produced by Foothills Forum. It marked the seventh consecutive year the RappNews/Foothills partnership earned a Best in Show award.

Foothills journalist Tim Carrington broke the news of a major expansion of the Inn at Little Washington, the county’s largest employer.

In October, recent University of Georgia journalism grad Ireland Hayes was hired as the first full-time Foothills Forum reporter. Also, veteran journalist Mary Ann Kuhn was hired as part-time Foothills editor and was also hired by the Rappahannock News as senior editor.

2024

Foothills Forum marked its 10th anniversary in the fall with a festive gathering of more than 150 supporters from throughout the community.

Foothills and the RappNews produced “The Villages of Rappahannock County,” a magazine-style compilation of articles published in recent years by Foothills reporter Bob Hurley. The “Villages,” partially underwritten by the Rappahannock Association for Arts and Community, was distributed free throughout the county. 

Also, Foothills commissioned a 10-year anniversary video, overviewing Foothills’ history and how it strengthens the Rappahannock community and beyond.

Ten Years of Supporting Our Local News

Betsy Dietel, daughter of late Foothills Forum co-founder Bill Dietel, regales the crowd of 150+ Foothills supporters with stories of Bill’s vital role helping to create the nonprofit news organization. Held in the fall of 2024 at the Barn at Mount Prospect in Washington, Va., the event observed Foothills Forum’s 10th anniversary of providing the community with fact-based, nonpartisan local news coverage. Listening, and laughing, are: Executive Director Emily Oaks and Board Chair Andy Alexander (standing). Seated are board member Jay Ward Brown and Chair Emeritus and co-founder Bud Meyer. 

Continue reading…

Watch the video here.

FAQ

What is the purpose of Foothills Forum?

Foothills has one overarching goal: journalism that is authoritative, fair, independent, nonpartisan and of service to our community.

How do we know that Foothills Forum is independent of outside individuals or groups?

From its start Foothills has committed to maximum transparency in its work. Foothills’ website discloses its volunteer board of directors, its financial donors, governmental filings, and its working agreement with the Rappahannock News. The board meetings of the Forum are open to the public.

How does Foothill Forum decide what to write about?

Our aim is to report on matters of importance to the community. We are guided partly by the initial Foothills Forum Survey conducted by the University of Virginia around the time of our founding. In addition, our reporters keep their ears close to the ground, as do members of Foothills’ board of directors. The journalists of Foothills Forum and the Rappahannock News meet remotely every two weeks to discuss and plan news coverage. Although the two are journalistically independent, they consult frequently to avoid duplication and deepen news coverage.

How does a reader know that Foothills Forum is responsible for a story in the Rappahannock News?

Foothills reporters are identified with bylines in the paper that make clear their association with the nonprofit. In addition, often when Foothills contributes to a prominent news story or feature produced by the Rappahannock News, the newspaper  will publish a separate statement that explains Foothills and its role.

 

Where do Foothills’ journalists come from? Are they paid?

Our news team includes journalists – many with long ties to Rappahannock – who have worked for prominent news organizations. They are either paid by the story or are on modest retainers. Foothills also helps pay for a graphics designer, a photographer and an editor. In 2023, Foothills hired Ireland Hayes, a recent University of Georgia journalism graduate, as its first full time reporter.

Who edits the stories?

Editing Foothills’ stories is a highly collaborative effort involving Foothills’ experienced volunteers, its reporters, and Rappahannock News staff. Foothills and the RappNews share the cost of a veteran journalist who edits stories and helps to coordinate news coverage.

Is the Rappahannock News required to use stories that Foothills Forum produces?

No. The newspaper always makes its own decisions about what it publishes. Foothills  stories appear in the RappNews under a legal agreement stipulating that the newspaper is not obligated to publish them.

I’ve seen Foothills’ articles published in other newspapers such as the Fauquier Times and the Culpeper Star-Exponent. Did they steal these articles?

No. Foothills shares its articles free of charge to surrounding news organizations with an interest in the topic. Foothills Forum journalism is a public service to the Rappahannock community and readers across the region.

Is Foothills unique, or are there other nonprofit journalism outfits like it?

Foothills is part of a large and growing nonprofit journalism movement of so-called “community news organizations.” These independent, nonprofit groups fill the void left by local newspapers that have either disappeared or are greatly diminished. Foothills is distinct in that we exist to supplement an existing newspaper. Most other community news organizations serve to replace local news organizations that have been lost.

Who We Are

Staff

Emily Oaks

Emily Oaks, executive director of Foothills Forum, has several decades of experience working for small and midsize newspapers, most recently as editor of the Culpeper Star-Exponent. A Utah native, Emily studied journalism and English at Brigham Young University, and began her career as a reporter and editor for The Daily Herald in Provo. She subsequently served as a columnist and feature writer for a newspaper in suburban Chicago before moving to Virginia, where she was an editor and staff reporter for the Free Lance-Star in Fredericksburg. She became editor of the Culpeper Star-Exponent in 2018 and took the lead at Foothills in Spring, 2023.

Reach Emily at [email protected]

Josh Wilson

Josh joined the Foothills Forum as the Development Coordinator in January 2025, bringing over 15 years of nonprofit leadership and fundraising experience to our team.  Josh relocated to Rappahannock County in 2023 from the Adirondack Park in upstate NY, where he served for 8 years as the Executive Director of the Barkeater Trails Alliance, a regional nonprofit focused on the stewardship and construction of community and backcountry trails. Prior to that, Josh served as Executive Director of the New York Bicycling Coalition, a statewide advocacy organization working to advance pro-bicycling legislation, policy and funding at the state and federal level.

Reach Josh at [email protected] 

Ireland Hayes

Ireland joined Foothills Forum as a full-time reporter in 2023 after graduating from the University of Georgia’s Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication with a degree in journalism and minor in music. As a student, she gained valuable experience in reporter and editor positions at The Red & Black, an award-winning student newspaper, and contributed to Grady Newsource and the Athens Banner-Herald. She spent three years as an editorial assistant at Georgia Magazine, UGA’s quarterly alumni publication, and interned with The Bitter Southerner.

Reach Ireland at [email protected]

Board of Directors

Andy Alexander

Andy Alexander

Chair

More about Andy Alexander

Andy is the former Washington Post ombudsman and is an award-winning journalist and news industry leader who has been a reporter, editor and Washington bureau chief during a career that spans five decades.  He was a longtime board member of the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists, which helps foreign journalists who have been subjected to attacks, arrests and harassment by repressive regimes.  After his time in newsrooms, Andy was a Visiting Professional at the Scripps College of Communication at Ohio University, his alma mater, where he taught journalism ethics and helped foster media innovation and entrepreneurship.  Andy serves as a volunteer editor of Foothills Forum articles and meets every other week with the nonprofit’s journalism committee, comprised of Foothills journalists and the Rappahannock News team, to consult on reporting projects. He is married to Beverly Jones, an attorney, consultant and author. 

Reach Andy at [email protected]

Stephen Brooks

Stephen Brooks

Co-Vice Chair

More about Stephen Brooks

Stephen was an attorney in New York where he practiced public interest, government and private law and led multiple efforts to support legal assistance for low-income people.

Reach Stephen at [email protected]

 

Lynn Dolnick

Lynn Dolnick

Co-Vice Chair

More about Lynn Dolnick

Lynn is on several local boards — RAAC (Rappahannock Association for Arts and Community), Rapp at Home, and Library Foundation — and also the board of the African Wildlife Foundation, based in Nairobi, Kenya.  She is a past board member of The New York Times. She and her husband, Ed, have had a home in Rappahannock since 1995. They spend summer and winter in Rappahannock and spring and fall in Brooklyn, NY—to be close to their kids and grandkids. Lynn is a biologist and worked at the National Zoo for over two decades in many capacities, lastly as Associate Director for Exhibit Planning. She is passionate about art, science, and conservation.

Reach Lynn at [email protected]

Ed Timperlake

Ed Timperlake

Secretary

More about Ed Timperlake

Ed, a resident of Castleton, is a former naval aviator, former government official, author, and columnist. The holder of a BS from the US Naval Academy and an MBA from Cornell, Ed also graduated from the Senior Officer “Top Gun” course and was a Marine fighter pilot in Southeast Asia, earning two Vietnam Campaign Medals. He later served as a professional staff member for the U.S. House Committee on Rules and as a Senate-confirmed Assistant Secretary for the Department of Veterans Affairs. Ed is the author of six books, including “Year of the Rat,” a New York Times bestseller for 22 weeks, and the editor of Defense.Info, a global national security publication. He also serves as a volunteer board member of the Vietnam Children’s Fund, which has built 52 elementary schools in Vietnam.

Reach Ed at [email protected]

Steve Vick

Steve Vick

Treasurer

More about Steve Vick

Steve has had a 40-year career with several nonprofit entities in Washington, D.C., most notably 26 years with the National Geographic Society where he was Vice President of Financial Operations. Steve holds a master’s degree in Business Administration from the College of William & Mary and a bachelor’s degree in Accounting from the University of Richmond. He is also a Certified Public Accountant (CPA). Steve and his wife Libby purchased property in Rappahannock County in 2004, and currently enjoy time at their farmhouse in Slate Mills.

Reach Steve at [email protected] 

Larry "Bud" Meyer

Larry "Bud" Meyer

Chair Emeritus

More about Larry "Bud" Meyer

A career editor, newsman and foundation executive, Bud served as Vice President and Secretary of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation from 1995-2009. Prior to joining Knight, he spent two decades in Florida print journalism, the last four years as executive assistant to the publisher of The Miami Herald. Bud is president of Meyer Communications, a strategic communications consultancy for foundations and nonprofits. He is also founder of Morningside Press and author of “Mother Fracker.” He volunteers for the Rappahannock League for Environmental Protection, RAAC and the annual Fodderstack 10-K, belongs to the Rappahannock Lions Club and Businesses of Rappahannock. He is a life member of Leadership Florida. Bud serves as a volunteer editor of Foothills Forum articles and meets every other week with the nonprofit’s journalism committee, of which he is chair, compiled of Foothills journalists and the Rappahannock News team, to consult on reporting projects.He has lived in Rappahannock County since 2006.

Reach Bud at [email protected]

Jay Ward Brown

Jay Ward Brown

More about Jay Ward Brown

Jay, a partner with Ballard Spahr LLP, has been representing news and entertainment companies in First Amendment and related matters for almost three decades, including in the U.S. Supreme Court, federal and state appellate courts, and trial courts around the country. His clients have included The New York Times, The Associated Press, CBS, and Fox.  Jay possesses a B.A. from the University of Minnesota, an M.S. from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, and a J.D. from New York University School of Law.  He has lived full-time in Rappahannock County since 2006.

Reach Jay at [email protected]

Cindy Griffin

Cindy Griffin

More about Cindy Griffin

Cindy has been an entrepreneur for over 40 years. In 2001, she opened a fitness studio in the heart of Portland, ME, as a personal trainer and instructor. A family move to Virginia eventually brought her business, currently known as Mountainside Pilates, to Rappahannock County where she has served the community for the last 15 years.

Her home is located near Mountain Run Lake in Culpeper. She loves the outdoors, various active sports, especially long distance road cycling.

Reach Cindy at [email protected]

John Jacquemin

John Jacquemin

More about John Jacquemin

John is president and chief executive officer of Mooring Financial Corporation, a private investment firm that he created in 1982. Among his honors, John was the Ernst & Young Greater Washington Entrepreneur of the Year in 2006.

John’s current nonprofit board memberships are Kid Pan Alley, an organization inspiring and empowering children to become music creators; the George Mason University Foundation; and the Castleton Festival.  Previously he served on the board of overseers of the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College and as a board member of the Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts.

Reach John at [email protected]

Berni Olson

Berni Olson

More about Berni Olson

Berni has both worked extensively in the nonprofit world and operated her own successful business. She is currently executive director of the Rappahannock Benevolent Fund. Previously, she served in capacities including associate director of the Cacapon and Lost Rivers Land Trust in Wardensville, WV and proprietor of Ginger Hill Antiques in Washington, VA.

 

Additionally Berni spent four years as a social worker for the Hospice of the Rapidan in Culpeper and was vice president of Sign Language Associates, Inc, a firm providing interpreting services to deaf and hard of hearing individuals in the Washington, D.C. area.

Among Berni’s local volunteer activities are those as a Certified Virginia Master Naturalist, board member of the Rappahannock Animal Welfare League, market coordinator of the Christmas in Little Washington Artisan Market, and President of the Businesses of Rappahannock.

Reach Berni at [email protected]

Alfred Regnery

Alfred Regnery

More about Alfred Regnery

Al is an attorney and publishing executive. He served as Minority Counsel of the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee during the late 1970s, at the U.S. Department of Justice from 1981 to 1986 and was in private practice of law in Washington until 2003. He was president and publisher of Regnery Publishing, Inc., an independent book-publishing firm from 1986 until 2005 where he published over 200 titles including 23 New York Times bestsellers, and was president and publisher of the American Spectator magazine from 2005 until 2012. He is chairman of the Intercollegiate Studies Institute in Wilmington, DE, and chairman of the Law Enforcement Legal Defense Fund in Alexandria, VA, where he is also currently employed, and serves on several other nonprofit boards. His writings have appeared in many national publications and websites. He has been a resident of Rappahannock County since 2012.

Reach Al at [email protected]

Pete Smith

Pete Smith

More about Pete Smith

Pete, the former Chief Executive of Watson Wyatt Worldwide, a global human resources consulting firm, is now the Founding Partner of SmithPilot, Inc., a firm that provides a variety of consulting services to nonprofits. He has also served on the boards of many private corporations and nonprofit organizations.

Pete and his wife Marcia Marsh are residents of Warrenton and are deeply interested in community development and environmental issues in the Piedmont region.

Reach Pete at [email protected]

Tac Tacelosky

Tac Tacelosky

More about Tac Tacelosky

Tac has spent much of the last 20 years focusing on public health advocacy. He was the cofounder of Smokefree DC, the advocacy organization that spearheaded the campaign to eliminate smoking from all D.C. workplaces, including bars and restaurants. The law became effective in 2007, after a five-year campaign, and he continues to be involved with public health and technology. In addition, Tac is a longtime supporter and sometimes board member of various D.C.-based nonprofits: Jews United for Justice, Guatemalan Human Rights Commission, Stone Soup Films and Avodah, the Jewish Service Corps. Tac also founded MicroTac Software, Inc. – one of the first companies responsible for bringing non-professional translation tools to the consumer market. He lives in Sperryville with his wife, Ana Murillo.

Reach Tac at [email protected]

Cathy Trost

Cathy Trost

More about Cathy Trost

Cathy is Chief Engagement Officer and Senior Vice President for the nonpartisan Freedom Forum, the national nonprofit dedicated to fostering First Amendment freedoms. Previously, she was Vice President of Exhibits and Programs for the Newseum, the museum of news and journalism in Washington, D.C. An award-winning journalist, she is a former reporter for The Wall Street Journal and the Detroit Free Press. She co-authored the critically acclaimed book “Running Toward Danger: Stories Behind the Breaking News of 9/11.” She also was the founding director of the Casey Journalism Center on Children and Families at the Philip Merrill College of Journalism at the University of Maryland.

Reach Cathy at [email protected]

Paula Wolferseder Yabar

Paula Wolferseder Yabar

More about Paula Wolferseder Yabar

Paula is the Senior Vice President of Advancement at American Rivers where she leads a dedicated team of development and communications experts focused on the financial health and brand awareness of the organization. Paula has been a committed conservation professional over the course of her career, serving in leadership roles at many internationally recognized organizations including Resources for the Future, the Pew Charitable Trusts and The Nature Conservancy. Paula holds an MBA from George Washington University and a B.A. from the University of Rhode Island. Paula and her family purchased their property in Amissville in 2005 and split their time there and in Arlington, VA.

Reach Paula at [email protected]

William Dietel

William Dietel

Director Emeritus (Honor awarded posthumously)

More about William Dietel

Bill, who died at the age of 96 In the fall of 2023, was a former teacher, principal and dean who entered philanthropy in 1970 with the Rockefeller family serving as Executive Vice President and president of the Rockefeller Brothers Fund from 1970-87. In 1987 he established a consulting practice that became Dietel Partners in 2007 when his daughters joined the firm. Bill had 50 years of experience networking people and organizations, and consulting with foundations, families and individuals about philanthropy. He served as chairman of the Child Care Learning Center (CCLC), as a member of the Headwaters Foundation Investment Committee and lived in Rappahannock County for 34 years.  Read Tim Carrington’s remembrance of Bill here.

Join Us in Making a Difference

Your support can help us continue to provide vital news and information to the Rappahannock County community. Whether you choose to volunteer, donate, or participate in our initiatives, your involvement makes a significant impact. Together, we can ensure that our local voices are heard and our stories are told.