Starnes Media, which publishes Village Living and five other hyperlocal publications in the Birmingham metro area, has announced key new hires, including Sarah Owens as the new community editor for Village Living.
Tim Stephens, a veteran journalist, has been named general manager and editor-in-chief of Starnes Media. Stephens will oversee operations and the editorial vision for the company’s publications, including Village Living, 280 Living, Hoover Sun, The Homewood Star, Vestavia Voice and Cahaba Sun.
“Tim Stephens is a dynamic newsroom leader with a proven track record of helping teams achieve excellence across print, digital and social media platforms,” said founder and CEO Dan Starnes.
Stephens previously held newsroom leadership positions at the Birmingham Post-Herald, Orlando Sentinel, South Florida Sun-Sentinel and CBSSports.com.
Among Stephens' first moves in his new role was hiring Sarah Owens as the community editor for The Homewood Star and Village Living. Owens, an Alabaster native, is a 2022 graduate of Milligan University and has experience as a multimedia journalist in Sarasota, Fla.
Taylor Bright also joins the Starnes team as the new community editor for 280 Living and Cahaba Sun. Bright, an award-winning journalist, has previously worked at the Birmingham Post-Herald, the Huntsville Times and the Charlotte Observer.
Cady Inabinett has been appointed digital manager for Starnes Media. Inabinett is a 2024 graduate of the University of Montevallo and has worked as a data insights reporter at Open Secrets in Washington, D.C.