The Colorado Springs Independent has tapped alt-weekly veteran Vanessa Martinez to replace Kirk Woundy as editor-in-chief.

Woundy announced in January that he was leaving to start his own company focused on helping people document their life stories.

Martinez was managing editor of the Independent from 2005 – 2006. She has launched two alt-weeklies over the course of her career, the Rocky Mountain Bullhorn in 2000 and the Rocky Mountain Chronicle in 2006, both in Fort Collins, Colo. She has since worked as the online editor of Denver’s 5280 Magazine and as a digital consultant.

“Vanessa brings years of alternative newspaper experience, a keen eye for digital journalism and a passion for the Front Range to this editorship,” said associate publisher Carrie Simison in this week’s Publisher’s Note. “She truly eats and breathes news, and has immersed herself in content creation even when she’s been out of traditional journalism positions.”