Annelise Pierce is Editor and Community Reporter for Shasta Scout, a nonprofit online local news service located in far northern California. She founded Shasta Scout in mid-2021 with a focus on government accountability, religious and political movements, and Indigenous affairs. As a relative newcomer to the media world, Annelise often finds herself challenging long-standing standards in the industry to advocate for more diverse and inclusive ways of approaching both business and content. Through innovative processes and practices that have drawn regional and national attention, Annelise is working to develop deep audience engagement and rebuild community trust in local news.