We have lots of good news in this update, as we advance quickly toward early 2025 launch. We’ll introduce our first two staff members (and more hiring announcements soon), tell you about our new office, and ask for your help getting our Lookout in the Classroom program up and running on all cylinders.

In addition, in light of the election, we’ll share the kind of coverage we will soon offer in the next Lane County elections, with the model we’ve set in Santa Cruz. And we’ll include a photo from our Pulitzer ceremony excursion to Columbia University.

The Office

First off, we’ve got an office, and we don’t think we could have found a better one for both our team – now in progress, see below – and for gathering together our members and the community. It’s right in downtown Eugene, an important symbolic location of our civic commitment, at 771 Willamette Street. It’s the recent space of AHM Brands, Eugene’s prominent brand strategy, design and digital marketing agency, and AHM partner and media director Brent MacCluer – also an early Lookout Eugene-Springfield donor – helped clue us in to it.

Fronting on Willamette will enable us to put up a good public presence, while the back of the office will witness both the downtown farmers market and a part of Saturday Market. With Perugino next door and Steve Baker’s Authentica Wines just a couple of doors away, we love the central location. The interior, decked out in a bright modern fashion by AHM, provides the kind of open, collegial workspace our staff will enjoy. And we’ve got a number of places to hold frequent Lookout Listens sessions as well as member get-togethers.

We’ll take possession in early December and start inviting you all in soon after.

Lookout in the Classroom

We’ve told you about our plans for the robust Lookout in the Classroom program in Lane County, and it is now moving into place.

In short, Lookout in the Classroom makes local news available to high school students and engages them directly in it, fostering critical media literacy skills for our next generation of leaders. The Santa Cruz program now serves over half of the public high school students and more than 100 teachers in Santa Cruz County, and has been highly endorsed by education superintendents. We’ve already begun working with school leaders at both districts 4J and Bethel, and intend to roll out the program – in collaboration with them – as Lookout launches.

In Santa Cruz, both individuals and foundations have supported Lookout in the Classroom. In Lane County, we’re asking for similar support as we prepare to launch it – and then grow it. Our immediate goal is $100,000 by the end of this year, which will provide access for almost 3,000 public high school students. The good news is that individuals have already stepped forward with a 1:1 Challenge Grant to meet that number, and we already have $16,000 raised.

We’ve now made it easy for individuals, couples, and families to support this key program – and gain a tax deduction as we approach year’s end. Our support page enables you to support the Lookout in the Classroom program and/or Lookout Eugene-Springfield launch itself. Just click the donate button on the top right hand part of the page, and make your choice. If you are inclined to help jump-start this vital mission-oriented program, and would like more information, please contact us. Our aim is to get the program growing quickly and extend it, over time, to more of Lane County’s 13 school districts and into middle schools as well.

Covering Elections

As we’ve all come to understand, elections matter.

We’ll soon cover them wall-to-wall in Lane County, as we have at Lookout Santa Cruz, since our founding in 2020. The Santa Cruz County election page collects all that coverage. It’s thorough, with every local candidate and measure covered, and notes our endorsements and forums as well. We believe local democracy is all about engagement and these in-person forums, moderated by knowledgeable Lookout correspondents, bring together candidates and voters directly. We look forward to that kind of coverage in the next set of elections in Lane County.

Amanda Coers 
Community & Student Engagement Manager 

At the new center of both these community and student engagement programs is Amanda Coers, employee No. 1 of Lookout Eugene-Springfield and our Community and Student Engagement Manager. 

Amanda is already out meeting and greeting people and making early connections for us. She brings a unique blend of experience in community outreach, event coordination, teaching and journalism to her role as the Community & Student Engagement Manager at Lookout Eugene-Springfield. Her passion for fostering meaningful connections within the community is at the heart of her work, where she focuses on elevating engagement and building lasting partnerships.

Before joining Lookout Eugene-Springfield, Amanda served as an English teacher, where she taught American literature, creative writing and art to high school students. She fostered a love for literature and creative expression, encouraging her students to explore their unique voices and ideas through writing and the arts. Prior to teaching, Amanda was the executive administrator for the City of Brownwood, Texas, where she supported the city manager and the executive director of economic development in coordinating operations and providing public information services to various community organizations. For several years before working in municipal government, Amanda worked as a journalist and news editor. 

In May 2023, Amanda and her family relocated from central Texas to Eugene, attracted by the region’s natural beauty, inclusive community and dedication to sustainability. She has since fallen in love with Eugene and Springfield’s vibrant arts scene, rich cultural diversity and outdoor recreational opportunities. From the thriving local art community to the picturesque hiking trails, Amanda is thrilled to call the Willamette Valley home.

Amanda holds a bachelor’s degree in English language and literature from the University of Phoenix and a Master of Arts in teaching from George Fox University. When not working, she enjoys spending time with her family, exploring outdoors, painting and volunteering with local organizations to give back to her community.

Morgana

Morgana Dundon
Advertising Sales Manager

Tomorrow, Amanda officially gets her first colleague, as Morgana Dundon joins us as Lookout Eugene-Springfield’s Advertising Sales Manager.

Highly respected in the local advertising community, Morgana will lead our on-the-ground efforts to help businesses, large and small, agencies and nonprofits use the full palette of Lookout’s Marketing Partner services. (Here’s our program in Santa Cruz.) And, of course, driving revenue, early and growing, to support Lookout Eugene-Springfield.

Brent MacCluer has worked with Morgana and enthusiastically supports her hiring. “I’ve always found Morgana intrinsically curious about all forms of digital advertising and wanting to learn and dive deep into the data,” he told us. “She’s always open to a variety of opinions and perspectives, isn’t afraid to make mistakes in an effort to learn and tries to poke holes in reporting to find a nugget. She is the perfect person to launch Lookout Eugene-Springfield and help the local business community truly understand how their products can make a real difference for local businesses. Nobody will work harder and be more dedicated to a business’ success than Morgana.”

Morgana has deep roots in the Eugene-Springfield community with family and friends. She has raised three great kids in Eugene, who all still reside here. Her hobbies include hiking and camping with her husband and dogs all over Oregon. She also enjoys her beer and wine memberships at local breweries and vineyards. 

Morgana has proudly attended both Lane Community College and the University of Oregon. Her career includes stints teaching in the Springfield school district, banking, tech sales and advertising sales with Comcast-owned Effectv, as well as freelance work. Her passion for helping small businesses within the community helps her stand apart as she takes a consultative approach to deliver positive results.

Morgana has deep roots in Eugene newspapering. Her grandfather, Murray Francis, served as the Register-Guard’s advertising manager in the 1970s. That connection is a meaningful one, and she tells us she is honored to help bring back the local in local newspapers. She relishes the opportunity to blaze a way forward into cost-effective embrace of digital media, at the same time advancing Lookout’s community-building role.