As many newsrooms contract, our award-winning nonprofit news organization gains a development director and a staff reporter.
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As many newsrooms contract, our award-winning nonprofit news organization gains a development director and a staff reporter.
April 15, 2025
Susan Desmond joins Civil Eats as its new development director. Desmond most recently served as strategic partnership manager at The GroundTruth Project, a nonprofit news organization dedicated to supporting the next generation of journalists through Report for America and Report for the World.
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“Joining Civil Eats feels like a full-circle moment—combining my love of journalism with my deep commitment to food justice.”
In addition to her dedication to journalistic integrity, Desmond has a deep commitment to food justice in Atlanta, where she lives. Earlier in her career, she was the development director at Wholesome Wave Georgia, an organization focused on expanding access to fresh fruits and vegetables across the state; her leadership there played a pivotal role in advancing the organization’s mission.
Desmond holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Wayne State University and a Master of Public Administration from Central Michigan University. Her expertise lies in strategic development, building partnerships, and securing funding for important initiatives.
“Joining Civil Eats feels like a full-circle moment—combining my love of journalism with my deep commitment to food justice,” Desmond said. “I’m excited to help grow support for this essential work.”
Brian Calvert has been a freelance contributing editor at Civil Eats since June 2024, and he now formally joins the team as a staff reporter and contributing editor.
“As a reader and contributing editor, I’ve long been amazed at the amount of great journalism Civil Eats produces.”
Calvert is the former editor-in-chief of High Country News, was an associate editor at Earth Island Journal, and is a former Ted Scripps Fellow in Environmental Journalism at the University of Colorado Boulder. He has worked as a media consultant, editor, writer, and radio producer in a career spanning 25 years. His work has appeared in Vox, The New York Times Magazine, Pacific Standard, and many others. He enjoys running, surfing, and (for the most part) healthy eating.
“As a reader and contributing editor, I’ve long been amazed at the amount of great journalism Civil Eats produces,” Calvert said. “And I’m stoked now to be a full-time member of the team.”
“We are thrilled to welcome Susan and Brian to our growing team at Civil Eats,” said Founder and Executive Director Naomi Starkman. “They are both seasoned professionals who will enrich our fundraising and reporting. These hires will bring Civil Eats into its next phase of growth.”
July 30, 2025
From Oklahoma to D.C., a food activist works to ensure that communities can protect their food systems and their future.
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