GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Native News Online announced today that Valerie Vande Panne, who refers to herself as a mixed-race woman and a descendant of several Southwest tribes, has been named its managing editor. Vande Panne previously served as editor-in-chief of Metro Times in Detroit, Mich.
A longtime journalist, Vande Panne most recently worked as a reporter at WGCU, an NPR member station in Southwest Florida, where she contributed environmental stories to Florida Public Radio Network and the Florida Climate Change Reporting Network.
Want more Native News? Get the free daily newsletter today.
In addition, since August 2020, she has been a contributor to Native News Online writing feature stories, including Reflecting on the Maine-Wabanaki Child Welfare Truth and Reconciliation Commission Five Years Later, which examined Maine’s child welfare system and healing from historical trauma in tribal communities.
Vande Panne has been a stringer for The New York Times and Reuters. During her career, she has contributed to Columbia Journalism Review, Bloomberg, The Guardian, Politico and Salon. She is also a former news editor of High Times magazine.
“Valerie comes to Native News Online with a strong journalism background, but what impressed me about her is she organized sending a truck load of water and other needed supplies to the Navajo Nation last year during the Covid-19 pandemic, which demonstrates her commitment to Indian Country that goes beyond her writing,” Levi Rickert (Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation), founder and publisher. “We’re looking forward to Valerie further building our Native-led newsroom as we continue our ongoing coverage of Indian Country and our special project on in-depth Indian boarding school coverage.”
In 2021, Vande Panne won an honorable mention award from the Native American Journalist Association (NAJA) for Young Seminole Tribe Member Sues Ron Santis, which tells the story of 17-year-old Valaholly Frank, who along with other young people sued Florida Gov. Ron Santis asserting their future is jeopardized by climate change inaction.
She has also won the Florida Association of Broadcast Journalists Award, a New England Newspaper and Press Association Award, and an Association of Alternative Newsweeklies Award.
"Native News Online is a humble leader covering Indian Country, and it is an honor to be part of the team and a privilege to have the responsibility of managing editor. I am grateful for the opportunity, and to the many in our communities who make our work possible," Vande Panne said.
More Stories Like This
Native News Weekly (August 25, 2024): D.C. BriefsUS Presidents in Their Own Words Concerning American Indians
Native News Weekly (August 4, 2024): D.C. Briefs
National Indian Gaming Commission Vice Chair Jeannie Hovland Honored with Woman Warrior Award
Haaland Speaks Directly to Voters on Trump, GOP Cuts to Clean Energy Jobs & Electricity Savings for NM Families
Can we take a minute to talk about tribal sovereignty?
Our mission draws from the warrior spirit that has sustained Indigenous peoples for generations — the same spirit that drives us to stand guard over tribal rights through relentless investigation and fearless reporting.
Sovereignty isn't just a concept – it's the foundation of Native nations' right to govern, protect our lands, and preserve our cultures. Every story we publish strengthens tribal sovereignty.
Unlike mainstream media, we center Indigenous voices and report directly from Native communities. When we cover land rights, water protection, or tribal governance, we're not just sharing news – we're documenting our living history and defending our future.
Our journalism is powered by readers, not shareholders. If you believe in the importance of Native-led media in protecting tribal sovereignty, consider supporting our work today.
