By now you’ve probably read Jennifer Sahn’s editor’s note explaining that she’s stepping down as HCN’seditor-in-chief.
When HCN hired Jennifer more than five years ago, we were doing our best to respond to an unusually tumultuous time in what has never been an easy existence. We wanted to contribute in a serious way to the ongoing conversation about race and belonging in the West. And we needed someone with a steady hand, a sharp eye and a fearless approach to tackling tough topics.
Jennifer delivered. She brought a steadfast commitment to producing a publication that reflects the West’s diverse communities and landscapes. Her years of experience in conservation- and community-focused journalism and her thoughtful, even demeanor provided clarity and comfort to our readers, who often wrote to thank her for her heartfelt editor’s notes.
Jennifer loved to praise her talented team and the work they did during this challenging time. She says she’s particularly proud of reviving HCN’s online news operation, raising the quality of the print publication, recruiting and mentoring a top-notch staff and helping to raise our profile in the larger news and magazine ecosystem.
We’ll share more soon about our plans for HCN’s editorial leadership, but rest assured that we have a great crew, and Jennifer leaves a strong foundation upon which we can build.
Roberto (Bear) Guerra is off to a new job with ProPublica after six-plus years as HCN’s visuals editor. Bear’s fingerprints are all over the publication, seen in all the photography and illustrations that he assigned, gathered — and produced himself. A longtime photojournalist, Bear shot many of our feature stories and essays, often in dramatic black-and-white, including this issue’s feature on Gary Paul Nabhan. Behind the scenes, he served on countless hiring committees and always spoke up for equity and inclusion. We’re sorry to lose him but excited to see what he does on his new and bigger stage.
We’re grateful, too, to Bradon Barmann-Schwarz, who spent four years on HCN’s fundraising team. As he put it in a farewell message to the staff, “What started as a remote fundraising role (during the waning days of the pandemic) quickly turned into life as a full-fledged fundraising road warrior: hundreds of donor meetings, thousands of miles driven, and countless memories in between.” We wish him well with whatever new adventures await.
Rest In Power, David Page: We were heartbroken to hear of the death of longtime travel and adventure writer and conservation advocate David Page in July, in a tragic accident on Teton Pass. David was the executive director of the nonprofit Winter Wildlands Alliance, and active in local organizations ranging from the Wasatch Backcountry Alliance to Mammoth Medical Missions Inc., which he co-founded. His colleagues at Winter Wildlands remember him as “a zealous backcountry skier, a passionate advocate for wild places, and someone who believed deeply that meaningful progress begins with open dialogue, curiosity, and collaboration.” Our hearts go out to David’s wife, Allison, and his sons, Jasper and Beckett.
HCN HITS THE ROAD
At a time when our communities are experiencing rapid and often unprecedented change, and the news industry undergoes its own tumultuous transformation, the High Country News staff and board want to hear from you — the people who live and work in the West — about the most pressing issues you’re facing, and how HCN can support you in your efforts to drive positive change.
And so we’re embarking on a year-long “listening tour” — a series of road trips that will take us to the near and far corners of the region to visit local community halls, watering holes, parks and other gathering places. We’ll meet with readers and community leaders, partnering with local nonprofit and news organizations to discuss how this place is changing and how we can step up and be of service.
Watch for more information in upcoming issues, and check for updates. If you want to help organize a community event, or if you have suggestions for places we should visit or groups we should partner with, please send us a postcard or email dearfriends@hcn.org. We’re looking forward to spending some time together!
We welcome reader letters. Email High Country News at editor@hcn.org or submit a letter to the editor. See our letters to the editor policy.
This article appeared in the September 2026 print edition of the magazine with the headline “HCN farewells.”
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