LIHU‘E — The Garden Island has named reporter Jessica Else as the new editor-in-chief.
The promotion moves Else from her position as a daily staff writer in the newsroom, where she’s been writing stories for five years about Kauai’s community, government and natural resources.
She said she’s looking forward to continuing the legacy of Kaua‘i’s longstanding daily paper and working with the community she’s grown to love and respect.
“The past five years writing on Kaua‘i have been full of many learning experiences and many amazing people; I’m honored to continue that journey as editor of The Garden Island paper,” Else said.
Else began her journalism career at The Argus Observer in Ontario, Oregon. In that rural town of 11,000 people, she covered all aspects of community new, learned photography on the job and got her first award in the news industry — first-place recognition for educational news coverage from the Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association.
She brings with her almost a decade of journalism experience and a bachelor’s degree in print journalism.
Else moved from reporting with The Argus Observer in the high desert of Oregon to the newsroom at The Garden Island on Kaua‘i in 2015. In 2019, Else got married to her husband, Michael Vincent, who moved to Kaua‘i from Wisconsin in 2013.
Stepping into a new position from a familiar newsroom, Else said she realizes she has the advantage of an established relationship with a skilled team.
“We’re all working hard together to put this paper out every day,” Else said. “I’m very confident in the people I work with.”
When she’s not in the office, Else is out hiking or dropping by local events, working in her little herb and lettuce garden, or enjoying dinner with friends — Michael’s a great cook. Other interests include health and wellness, like making original herbal-tea blends, as well as music and the arts.
“I’m looking forward to continuing what has been an incredible journey as a journalist here on Kaua‘i. How amazing to do what you love in such an inspiring place to call home,” Else said.
