Our team

• Marcus Tate Editor-in-Chief

  Marcus grew up in Wayne County and spent years covering local government and criminal justice for regional papers across eastern North Carolina. He oversees the Ledger's editorial direction and has a particular focus on accountability reporting in rural communities.

• Dana Sutton Managing Editor

  Dana manages the Ledger's day-to-day editorial operations, from story assignments to copy editing. She has a background in digital publishing and community journalism, with a longstanding interest in how local news reaches people who've learned not to expect it.

• Javier Morales Senior Staff Writer

  Javier covers agriculture, environment, and land use along the Neuse River corridor. He reports on water quality, industrial farming, and the policy decisions that shape the region's landscape — often driving county roads to find the story that isn't in the press release.

• Rhonda Whitfield Staff Reporter

  Rhonda covers public health, hospitals, and social services in Lenoir and surrounding counties. She's spent much of her career reporting on healthcare access in rural North Carolina and tracks the real-world impact of facility closures and funding gaps.

• Chris Yoon Staff Reporter

  Chris covers local government, schools, and economic development across the corridor. He attends the county commission meetings, school board sessions, and zoning hearings that most outlets skip, and writes about what happens in them plainly.