Management Team

Adam Dawes

Adam Dawes

Chief Executive Officer

Adam was born and raised in Palo Alto and had his first experience in journalism as editor-in-chief of the Campanile at Palo Alto High School. Aside from his four undergraduate years at Harvard, he has lived on the Peninsula his entire life. He attended Stanford Business School in the 90s and worked for a variety of tech firms in Silicon Valley for over 20 years, including 14 years at Google. He has been on the board of directors at Embarcadero Media since 2013. He lives with his wife and two kids in San Carlos and loves the outdoors and enjoying the vibrant culture of the Bay Area.

Bill Johnson

Bill Johnson

Executive Chairman

Bill was born and raised in the Palo Alto area, attended Stanford and started our company at age 26 after serving as press secretary to then-Congressman Pete McCloskey and consulting for the California Coastal Commission. He has lived in Palo Alto with his wife Terri more than 40 years and loves hiking, gardening, travel and just about any imaginable DIY project.

Mike Naar

Mike Naar

Treasurer

Mike grew up in Palo Alto and served as Chief Financial Officer for Embarcadero Media for 20 years, retiring in 2015. Mike remains Treasurer and a member of the company's Board of Directors. Mike and his wife Diane raised three sons and reside in Palo Alto with their dog Phoebe, who is also the company's mascot.

Frank A. Bravo

Frank A. Bravo

Vice President & Chief Technology Officer / Webmaster

With more than 30 years in publishing and technology, Frank is a technologist who is passionate about creating tools to help support local journalism.

Heidi Hartley

Heidi Hartley

Director of Marketing and Audience Development

For more than a decade, Heidi has worked for media organizations, helping to develop and execute marketing programs with both a broad and deep focus on integrated media.
She has worked across the media spectrum, including as a radio and podcast Producer and as the Research Director for television and radio stations along the West Coast.

Gina Channell

Gina Channell

President of East Bay Division

With over 30 years in the media industry, Gina started her career as an award-winning journalist in Illinois and, since 2006, has been the Publisher of The Pleasanton Weekly and Danville/Ramon publications. Gina has three adult children and enjoys golfing, writing and playing bocce in her off-hours.

Jocelyn Dong

Jocelyn Dong

Editorial Director

Jocelyn is an award-winning journalist who is guiding Embarcadero Media's newsrooms in their strategic initiatives. Having grown up in Palo Alto, she became the Palo Alto Weekly's editor-in-chief in 2011. When not working, Jocelyn's passions include reading good books, trying to coax vegetables to grow in her garden and hiking with her husband.