Replaces Departing Chair David Carr; Appointment Effective Until the Annual Meeting in Phoenix.
AAN President Patricia Calhoun announced today that she has appointed Blake de Pastino, Managing Editor of the Missoula Independent, to take over as AAN Editorial Committee Chair.
de Pastino will replace Washington City Paper Editor David Carr, who resigned the seat when he announced last month that he was leaving the paper in May to join Internet startup PowerfulMedia.com.
dePastino’s appointment will be effective through June 3, at which time he will be required to submit his nomination to stand for election at the annual meeting in Phoenix to complete the final year of Carr’s two-year term.
“Losing Washington City Paper Editor David Carr to the dot.com world is a blow to our industry — not to mention a tragic loss for those who’ve relished his wisecracks at AAN Board meetings,” Calhoun wrote in an e-mail to the AAN Board announcing dePastino’s appointment. “Nevertheless, we press on, and I’m pleased to announce that we’ve found someone to fill Carr’s considerable shoes as Editorial Chair.
“Not only has de Pastino been an integral part of a very active Editorial Committee this year, but he will bring an important perspective to the AAN Board: that of an editor at a small, independent paper based in a very small market that nonetheless manages to uphold the highest editorial standards,” wrote Calhoun.
de Pastino, 30, began his journalism career as an editorial aide and freelance writer with the Washington Post. His five years as an AAN member include three and a half years as Arts and Literature Editor and then Managing Editor of Weekly Alibi, followed by one and a half years in his current post as Managing Editor of the Missoula Independent.
de Pastino received his Bachelor’s degree in English from Columbia University and his Master’s degree in American Studies from the University of Texas. He has received four New Mexico Media & Communications Awards, is a frequent AlterNet contributor and has contributed to or edited a total of seven books. de Pastino is currently editing a book about relationships, which will be released by Viking in February 2001.
