Kyle Constable

Director of Growth, New York Focus

Session: Using data to make smarter editorial, product, and audience development decisions
Time: Thursday, 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Kyle Constable is the director of growth at New York Focus, where he leads the organization's audience and product initiatives and advises the editorial and development teams on strategy. Before joining the staff in 2026, he led audience and reader revenue growth at The Assembly NC and The Connecticut Mirror, and consulted for more than a half-dozen other statewide and local newsrooms. He also spent nearly two years working as a reporter in CT Mirror's newsroom before transitioning to audience. He graduated from the University of Connecticut with a bachelor’s degree in journalism in 2017.

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Rebecca Capparelli

Vice President of Promotions, USA Today Co.

Session: Driving Measurable Revenue with Promotions
Time: Thursday, 1:45 pm - 2:45 pm

Rebecca Capparelli is the Vice President of Promotions for USA Today In this role, Rebecca partners with Gannett’s Leadership on their companywide promotions strategy, which was recognized by Secondstreet Media as the Best Group Wide Promotions Strategy Award Winner for each of the past 10 years. This includes the company’s Community’s Choice, Community Engagement and Lead Generation Promotions in partnership with the company’s sales divisions. Rebecca has also been named Local Media Association’s Digital Innovator of the Year in 2019 and one of the Top Women in Media by Folio Magazine in 2020. In 2023, Rebecca received the Inaugural Promotions Hall of Fame award from Secondstreet. In Addition, in 2025, She Was Awarded USA Today’s highest Honor, the G.R.E.A.T Award.

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Eric Johnston

Transformational Executive and Founder, Liquid Amber

Session: Church and State, Same Balance Sheet: Leading Change Without Losing Trust
Time: Friday, 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm

While his high school classmates were flipping burgers or handing out bowling shoes after school, Eric was working as a part-time photojournalist for the local community newspaper. In the mid-‘90s, and after three years as a community newspaper photojournalist, Eric saw the coming digital transformation and pivoted his career to the burgeoning online space. As a self-taught web designer and engineer, he worked for the next 15 years to build audience, revenue and adoption of a rapidly-growing digital news environment. In 2009 Eric became Publisher and President of McClatchy Company publications The Modesto Bee and The Merced Sun-Star in California’s Central Valley - the first Publisher in the company’s 150-year history to rise from digital operations. During his tenure the publications leaned into digital audience and revenue growth - an emphasis that continues today. In 2014 Eric joined the Seattle-based Pioneer News Group as Chief Operating Officer, responsible for more than 30 publications and 500 employees across six northwest states. He led significant improvements to digital platforms and sales operations, drove centralization of key functions, and helped build a culture of collaboration and inclusion across a geographically dispersed organization. In late 2022 Eric was named Chief Executive Officer and Publisher of Sonoma Media Investments, a privately-held media enterprise based in Sonoma County. SMI publications include the Pulitzer Prize-winning Press Democrat, La Prensa Sonoma and Sonoma Magazine. As CEO, Eric served as the primary public face of the organization, engaging elected officials, business leaders and community institutions across the region, while directing a $35 million enterprise with more than 170 employees. During his tenure he also led the relaunch of the Press Democrat Journalism Trust, a nonprofit dedicated to sustaining local journalism in the region, rebuilding the board, strengthening donor relationships and increasing public awareness. Alongside his executive leadership roles, Eric founded Latent Edge Advisors, a consulting practice focused on strategic growth and the responsible adoption of emerging technologies for media and mission-driven organizations. Drawing on decades of experience and relationships across the industry, that work led naturally to his co-founding of LiquidAmber Works, Inc., a company focused on developing and applying AI tools in the media and research space. Dedicated to the communities and institutions that local journalism serves, Eric is a board member of the California Press Foundation and lives in Sonoma County with his wife, Susan.

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Rebecca Snyder

Executive Director, Maryland-Delaware-D.C. Press Association.

Session: Advocating for Advertising: Takeaways from Maryland’s Advertising Set Aside Bill
Time: Friday, 9:30 am - 10:30 am

Rebecca represents news media organizations in her role as the Executive Director of the Maryland-Delaware-D.C. Press Association. She has worked in a variety of roles within the industry for over 15 years. Since 2014, she has provided legislative advocacy, shepherded new business development and transformational member services to members of the press association to elevate local news. As part of MDDC's work to highlight local journalism, Rebecca hosts a weekly podcast, Five Dubs, which focuses on the stories behind the stories as well as topics important to transparency and freedom of the press.

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Walter Thorne

Market President and Publisher, Albany Business Review

Session: Common-Unity: How Being Known to Your Community Ignites Revenue Growth
Time: Friday, 10:45 am - 11:45 am

Walter Thorne is the market president and publisher of the Albany Business Review. Thorne joined the Business Review in 2019 as advertising director and was promoted to President in July 2021. He brings over 30 years of sales and leadership experience to the Albany Business Review where he leads a talented team that is responsible for implementing strategies that help customers grow their business, advance their career, and simplify their professional life. Prior to joining ABR, Thorne held sales-focused positions with JDOG Junk Removal, Advance Media, and Albany Broadcasting Co. and was self-employed for 28 years working for Rex Air Inc., selling Rainbow Vacuum cleaners door to door. Thorne's passion is to give back to the community by coaching and mentoring professionals in today's unrest. He combines a unique perspective of empathy, accountability, awareness, and structural changes to guide organizations to new levels in an uncertain time. Thorne grew up in Wappingers Falls and studied music and business at Wagner College. He is a classically trained opera singer - trained in six languages - and an avid bowler. Thorne serves on the boards of the 50 Group, Trinity Alliance of the Greater Capital Region, the Capital Region Chamber, CEG Board and The Community Foundation Board. He frequently volunteers his time as a mentor through several nonprofit organizations including Capital Region P-TECH and the SEAT Center.

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