Courtesy / Brian Fitzgerald
Lisa DeSisto, Maine Trust for Local News
December 5, 2024
Publisher at Maine Trust for Local News will step down after 12 years
After 12 years at the helm of Maine's largest news organization, Lisa DeSisto, CEO and publisher of the Maine Trust for Local News, will step down, effective at the end of the year.
Stefanie Manning, a longtime executive with the publishing group, will become managing director, the trust said in a news release Tuesday.
Maine Trust for Local News, a nonprofit, owns four of Maine’s five daily newspapers, including the Press Herald, Sun Journal, Kennebec Journal and Morning Sentinel, as well as weekly papers and associated websites. (The Bangor Daily News is the only Maine daily not owned by the trust.)
DeSisto will stay on until the end of the year to help with the transition.
“I have cherished my time leading this organization and working alongside such dedicated and talented colleagues,” DeSisto said in the news release. “Serving our readers and supporting this incredible team has been a privilege. Representing the Maine Trust for Local News in the community has been an honor I will carry with me."
During her tenure, DeSisto led the publishing group through two ownership transitions and acquisitions. Most recently, the National Trust for Local News, a nonprofit news organization, purchased the business from Reade Brower last year. The Maine Trust for Local News is its subsidiary.
DeSisto also managed the first digital transformation of Maine’s newspapers by onboarding digital subscriptions and creating digital-only Mondays.
"I extend my deepest gratitude to Lisa for her extraordinary leadership and service. She leaves an indelible mark on the Maine Trust and the communities it serves," said Elizabeth Hansen Shapiro, CEO of the National Trust for Local News. "With Stefanie stepping into this new role, I am confident the Maine Trust will thrive, grow, and continue to deliver the news and stories that matter to Maine.”
About Manning
Manning, who has worked at the publishing group for 11 years, spent a decade of that leading the $25 million consumer revenue business. She most recently served as chief of staff.
Courtesy
Stefanie Manning, Maine Trust for Local News
"I’m excited and honored to take the baton from Lisa and begin this new leadership role at the Maine Trust,” said Manning. “Our vision is to reinvent our revenue model, reinvigorate our journalism, and reconnect with the communities we serve to become Maine’s indispensable source for local news.”
Prior to her time with the Trust, Manning held senior roles at Hearst’s Oprah Magazine, Businessweek and the Washington Post’s Newsweek.
The Cape Elizabeth resident is an active community member. She is the former president of the Press Herald Toy Fund, a trustee of the Portland Public Library and an outgoing board member of the Local Media Consortium. She is also the co-owner of the Miss Portland Diner and Portland’s Harvest on the Harbor food festival.
“This is a time of transformation for the Maine Trust for Local News,” said Mark Stodder, the board chair of the Maine Trust. “Lisa is leaving us with an invaluable legacy, and paired with Stefanie’s leadership and vision, we are well positioned to navigate the challenges ahead and continue our mission of protecting local journalism.”
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