Board & Staff

The People Behind the Pages

The Applegater is made possible by a dedicated group of volunteers, community contributors, and a small editorial team.

We are grateful for every person who gives their time and talent

to keep this publication alive.

The Applegater extends its heartfelt gratitude to Joe Lavine, who served as our volunteer webmaster for more than 17 years. Through his dedication, technical expertise, and unwavering support, Joe built and maintained the foundation of the Applegater's online presence, ensuring that our publication, archives, and community resources remained accessible to readers year after year. As the website continues to evolve, it does so upon the strong foundation Joe created through nearly two decades of service. We invite you to read the tribute honoring Joe's remarkable contributions and lasting legacy. Read Now

Chair

Diana Coogle

Board Member since 2013

After growing up in Georgia and studying at Cambridge University as a Marshall Scholar, Diana moved to an Applegate mountainside, taught part-time at Rogue Community College, and wrote commentaries for Jefferson Public Radio (JPR). Diana has published three books of selected JPR commentaries: Fire from the Dragon's Tongue (an Oregon Book Award finalist), Living with All My Senses: 25 Years of Life on the Mountain, and An Explosion of Stars. She has also published Favorite Hikes of the Applegate: A Trail Guide with Stories and Histories with Janeen Sathre. She holds a PhD in English from the University of Oregon.

Vice Chair / Secretary (Interim)

William C. Whitney

Board Member since 2024

William C. Whitney (Whit) graduated from Rochester Institute of Technology with a BFA in painting and a minor in photography/motion picture. In 1978 he moved to New York City to launch a career as a fine artist and found work at Rapp, a large ad agency, as an art director. After 25 years at Rapp, he was promoted and relocated to Los Angeles as their executive creative director. After four years in L.A., Whit retired from advertising. In 2016, he and his wife, Cheryl, moved from their home in the central coast of California to the Applegate Valley. Whit joined Rogue Credit Union as creative director/manager, serving for three years, and retiring for the final time in 2019. The Whitneys volunteer at Mercy’s Gate, a local nonprofit, and have served on a number of boards, including Symphony of the Vines, a California symphony orchestra.

Treasurer

Roger Wirth

Board Member since 2025

Roger Wirth was born and raised in Klamath Falls, Oregon, and graduated from Portland State University in 1982 with a degree in Business Administration - Accounting and passed the Oregon CPA examination that year. Roger then had a long career in Federal Law Enforcement, retiring in 2007 as the Special Agent in Charge of IRSCID in San Francisco, California, and thereafter working with the DEA Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force as a forensic accountant for 13 years and subsequently with the Medford Police Department and the Jackson County Sheriff’s office. Roger and his wife, Cheryl, moved back to the beautiful Applegate Valley in 2011 to be close to family. This is his first volunteer position with a non-profit since his final retirement in 2023.

Member-at-Large

Greg Stanko

Board Member since 2026

Born in the concrete jungle of Baltimore, Greg was introduced to Scouting at an early age and fell in love with all things outdoors. His merit badge awards mainly centered around nature and conservation. After a short stint in the Air Force Medical Corps, he eventually moved to Oregon in 1981 — "home at last." Hiking has long been a passion that he participates in at every opportunity. After retiring in 2019, Greg continued to explore the Williams and Applegate valleys and has been actively involved in the Layton Ditch Trail System restoration. Serving on the Williams Community Forest Project board keeps him involved in the watershed issues of the Williams valley. Other passions include photography, animal husbandry, gardening, and woodworking. He and his wife, Kate, steward five acres and enjoy the stars and views of the beautiful Williams Valley daily!

Editor-in-Chief

Annika Hodges

Board Member since 2024

Annika Hodges moved to the Rogue Valley from Portland, after graduating from Eastern Oregon University with a cum laude degree in English and writing. As the previous editor in chief of, social media manager of, and reporter for Eastern Oregon University’s student newspaper, The Voice, Annika comes well-qualified for her job here. With that experience, she already knows how to oversee production of a paper and how to manage a team of writers, copy editors, and others who serve to put a newsmagazine such as the Applegater together. She has been meeting people and learning about our community. She has connected with A Greater Applegate, learned about and contacted businesses and nonprofits in the area, and gone to open-air markets, libraries, and other organizations and activities in the Applegate Valley.

Member-at-Large

Lynn Towns

Board Member since 2026

Bio coming soon!

Editorial Committee

Annika Hodges - Editor-in-Chief

Diana Coogle

Aaron Krikava

Greeley Wells

Contact Your Ad Representative

Jackson County

Alyssa Prophet

541-520-2219 prophetsolutionsllc@gmail.com

Josephine County

Max Unger

541-660-4031 imaxunger@gmail.com

Become a Board Member

We are always looking for board members, copy editors, photographers, and community contributors. If you'd like to help shape the future of the Applegater, we'd love to hear from you.