Tuesday, October 15, 2024
October 15, 2024

Meet the team

Nancy Johnson

Publisher & Director of Advertising

As publisher, Nancy is responsible for the operations of all of the company’s publications. Nancy previously held the positions of senior group publisher in Sun Media, director of operations in Transcontinental Media and vice president of operations, Manitoba in Glacier Media. She has been publisher at several weekly and daily newspapers. Over 27 years of her career with media companies across Canada, she has sat on several boards, including the Alberta Weekly Newspaper Association, Newspapers Atlantic and various Chamber of Commerce groups. Nancy has a strong background in operations management, marketing and business and is a member of the World Association of Newspapers Braintrust of Media Members.

Gail Sjuberg

Editor

Gail has been a member of the Driftwood’s award-winning editorial department since 1990 and the newspaper’s editor since 2003. She also edits Aqua-Gulf Islands Living magazine and other Driftwood publications. She enjoys Nia dancing, music (both listening and playing), hanging out with her sweetheart and her two dogs, reading and gardening. Gail grew up in the Comox Valley and has a BA in Canadian Studies from SFU.

Bryan McCrae

Art Director

Bryan, a graphic artist with over two decades of design experience, fills the role of art director. Living on Gabriola Island, his creative accomplishments include nominations for “website of the year" awards, contributing to a best-selling Canadian gardening book, and collaborating with prestigious authors and publishing houses on cover designs and interior layouts. Bryan’s skillset offers the Driftwood a unique perspective on design projects. In his free time, Bryan is an enthusiastic trail biker, enjoys gathering with friends and his beloved pets: 2 cats and a dog.

Jane Gartrell

Front Office

Jane spent most of her adult life on Vancouver Island and knew when she retired she would definitely be moving to Salt Spring. After a few years of retirement, she was given the opportunity to work at the Driftwood, which is both challenging and enjoyable. She is kept busy with her duties as office assistant which cover a wide range of administrative responsibilities, and she loves talking with the customers she sees in person as well as those who phone in. Jane loves to swim in lakes, rivers and the sea. She gardens, although less than she used to because she now lives on a rock and is happy being at home in her little bit of paradise with her cats and her favourite human.

Robb Magley

Reporter

Robb grew up visiting the Southern Gulf Islands every summer; he spent several years covering beats for small-market newspapers in rural Colorado, where he developed a passion for storytelling and the outdoors. After a rewarding career shift to “stay-at-home-dad” and part-time author, Robb finally returned to community newspapering, joining the Driftwood staff as a reporter in 2022. He has lived with his family on Salt Spring since 2020.

Matt Gaudette

Advertising Representative

As the newest member of the Driftwood team, Matt loves heading over to Salt Spring from his home in the Cowichan Valley to work with the home team. Having worked in national marketing for the last 20 years guiding clients through the world of advertising, he brings a wide variety of experience and understanding while speaking with existing and new clients to help them promote their businesses. Matt enjoys spending his free time exploring the various local trails. Some days include a steep mountain bike climb followed by an exhilarating descent, while other days, it is a scenic gravel bike ride to Lake Cowichan and back. With great hikes in every direction as well, work and play are in balance.  

Erin Magley

Advertising Representative

Erin joined the team at the Gulf Islands Driftwood after a 25-year career in education and is the sales representative for both Aqua and the Gulf Islands Real Estate magazines.  She brings her experience serving on several boards, shepherding collaborative success via professional relationships.  In her spare time, Erin enjoys music, board gaming, and spending time with her family.

Tony Richards

Managing Director

Tony began working at the Driftwood as a teenager when his family bought the newspaper in 1967. He became a reporter in 1976, and editor and publisher in 1979. He resigned from day-to-day activities at the newspaper in 2003 to pursue other interests but returned to the publishing business in 2011 to publish print and digital magazines in Puerto Escondido, Mexico, a popular tourist destination on the Pacific coast. In 2014 he launched the digital newspaper Mexico News Daily, now Mexico’s leading English-language daily newspaper, which he sold in 2022. He lives in Puerto Escondido with his partner, María Inés Rosales.