About the Staff
Jeannette Boner Co-Editor
Jeannette Boner has worked as a journalist in Teton Valley since moving here from the oil patch of Sublette County, Wyo., in 2005. For more than two years she has covered the valley's dramatic political arena as well as its rich local color.
Jeannette has worked for a variety of newspapers, starting her career at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. To her heart's content, she moved from large metro newspapers to Western community weeklies. Through experiences at such publications as the Pinedale Roundup, in Pinedale, Wyo., she has learned that local coverage is the best coverage. Jeannette believes that no one can cover a community like a local newspaper and brings that idea to the Valley Citizen.
She took the reigns of editor of the Teton Valley News in 2005 following Hope Strong's tenure, carving out a reputation of her own. Fighting for the public's right to know and understanding that a growing and diverse community needs to hear each other's stories, opinions and voices, she earned the "People's First" recognition from the Idaho Press Club in 2007 for an effort to keep the county's business in the public eye.
Jeannette spent two years working for Aaron and Sally Myler at the Corner Drug store in Driggs while freelancing the valley's historical events for the Jackson Hole News & Guide, the Teton Valley News, the Idaho Post-Register and Powder Mountain Press magazines.
Jeannette can be reached at jet@valleycitizen.com
Hope Strong Co-Editor
Hope Strong came to Teton Valley in the summer of 2001 to work for the Teton Valley News as a reporter and photographer under the editorial leadership of Tyler Rhodes.
Hope was promoted to editor in 2004 and worked in that capacity for almost two years. In 2003 Hope was awarded first place for best breaking news story in a community weekly in the National Newspaper Association's Better Newspaper Contest for a story involving Vice President Dick Cheney's caravan being rerouted due to a hot-air balloon collision with a power line in Victor. Hope left the TVN to pursue his passion for fly fishing, with or without the vice president on the river. He graduated from the WorldCast Anglers Guide School weeks after his departure from the TVN and has worked in the fishing industry for the past four years in North and South America.
Hope's love of area rivers has not faded, and neither has his passion for storytelling and news reporting. For him, launching a weekly newspaper in Teton Valley is an exciting opportunity to re-enter the realm of journalism.
Believing that Americans' First Amendment rights are the cornerstone of a healthy democracy on national as well as a local levels, Hope is excited to provide relevant and straightforward coverage on the issues Teton Valley faces.
Hope has never felt closer to a community and its people than here in eastern Idaho and he is looking forward to strengthening old relationships and establishing new ones. Whether you have been here for generations or have just moved to the area, your contribution as a valley citizen has never been more important.
Hope can be reached at hopestrong@valleycitizen.com
Dawn Banks office manager
You can also find Dawn at www.multiaskher.com. Enough said.
Dawn can be reached at dawn@valleycitizen.com
Anita Sykes Graphic Design/Art Direction
Anita Sykes comes to Valley Citizen with a more than impressive graphic design background. Having graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Advertising Design from the Fashion Institute in 1991 and having pursued a graphics career spanning nearly 2 decades with experience freelancing, working for marketing and PR firms, advertising agencies, publishing companies and newspapers, Anita brings formidable talent. During her career, Anita has served as an assistant art director, an art director, a production manager managing many complex projects. In addition, Anita operates a design studio with her husband, working for architectural firms, designers, non-profit organizations, photographers, educational facilities, real estate developers, and realtors.
Anita is excited to be a part of the incredibly dynamic team dedicated to locally publishing a quality news source for Teton Valley.
Anita can be reached at anita@valleycitizen.com
