Meet our Board of Directors
As a nonprofit corporation, strategic decisions at The Richmonder are made by a Board of Directors. In the coming months and years, we will grow the board in response to the opportunities and challenges that our growth will present.
At launch, our board consists of four Richmonders who understand the importance of quality local reporting, and its ability to have an impact on the community. It’s my honor to introduce them to you now:
Blaine Lay (chair)
Blaine Lay serves as Director of Strategy at Brand Apart, a creative agency that builds purpose-driven brands and experiences. He’s energized by uncovering the strategic objective behind a challenge and charting a path to achieve it. He loves Richmond for what it is and what it’s becoming – and he believes everyday people can shape its future.
On why he got involved with The Richmonder: "I believe Richmond deserves a better public conversation – one that’s thoughtful, curious, and grounded in facts. I got involved because I wanted to help elevate the conversation in our community. That's what The Richmonder exists to do."
Greta Harris
Greta J. Harris leads the Better Housing Coalition, an affordable housing developer and owner, in RVA and is in leadership positions with several nonprofit and corporate organizations. She is a believer in democracy as a pillar of the American dream with all the challenges and hopes that it entails. Greta is a fighter for social justice, who has worked for 35 years across the country helping underserved communities lift their voice for change and ensuring quality housing is available for all.
On why she got involved with The Richmonder: "A free and balanced media is critical to the democratic experiment. I’m excited to be a part of The Richmonder, a new media platform, to ensure that transparency, accountability and light is shared generously throughout our community."
Rose Estes
Rose Estes has a master's degree in social work from VCU. She has a passion for improving education in the Richmond community, and serves on the board of Communities in Schools in the Richmond area. She is originally from Norfolk, and got her undergraduate degree from William & Mary.
On why she got involved with The Richmonder: “With children in RPS and living in the city, I love that the Richmonder is committed to attending City Council and School Board meetings so we all have access to the information we need to make informed choices for the well-being and thriving of the children across our city.”
Otesa Miles
Otesa Middleton Miles’ first taste of journalism came in the 7th grade at Richmond’s Henderson Middle School student newspaper. She earned her bachelor’s degree in news editorial from Howard University and was a Knight-Wallace Journalism Fellow at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. She worked as the youngest reporter at the Richmond Times-Dispatch and later wrote for Dow Jones Newswires, The Wall Street Journal, and reported live on Richmond’s own CBS-6, and nationally on MSNBC and NPR.
On why she got involved with The Richmonder: “Making sure information is accurate, available and accessible is important. The City of Richmond is currently my home, as well as my hometown. I am an RPS graduate with children in RPS. All of Richmond deserves robust, trustworthy coverage.”
Tim Taliaferro
Tim is the Vice President of Strategy at Arrow. He is a seasoned brand strategist with particular experience in publishing, nonprofits, and direct-to-consumer businesses.
The board will provide strategic direction as we continue to grow The Richmonder to represent the entire region, and provide quality, unbiased information on the issues that matter most to the community.
Note from Founding Editor Michael Phillips: Personally, I'm thrilled that our board brings a variety of viewpoints and experiences to the table. Board members' political opinions are their own, and not those of The Richmonder, which remains fiercely nonpartisan in its coverage of local issues. Our reporters are not allowed to contribute to candidates or campaign on their behalf.
