Finaldi named editor of Island Packet following national search
The Island Packet has promoted Laura Finaldi to editor following a national search, staff members learned Wednesday.
Finaldi joined the newsroom in September as senior reporter/editor. She has been leading the newsroom in an unofficial capacity since November, after the departure of former executive editor Robert York.
“I’m so lucky,” Finaldi said Thursday. “We have a very strong, dedicated team that is very focused on telling stories that resonate with our readers, doing it fairly and doing it accurately.”
A native of Danbury, Connecticut, Finaldi has more than 12 years of professional journalism experience, working for places like The Boston Globe, The Raleigh News & Observer and the Sarasota Herald-Tribune in Sarasota, Florida. Her work has focused primarily on business journalism.
At the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, Finaldi covered retail and tourism. In many ways, Finaldi said, the area is not too different from Hilton Head Island. Both are beach communities that face infrastructure challenges caused by growth and tourism, she said.
But aside from that, Hilton Head is “unlike anywhere that I’ve covered,” she added. She’s fascinated by the history of the island, how its culture has evolved and the issues that impact residents the most.
“The thing that I always think about is the desire for a[n] idyllic way of life versus what that actually means in reality, the everyday challenges that come with that,” Finaldi said.
Many strong candidates were interviewed for the role, according to Nicole Stockdale, senior vice president for local news and executive editor of The Raleigh News & Observer and the Durham Herald Sun. Finaldi’s strong news judgment, coaching mindset and audience focus made her the clear choice for the position, she said.
“Laura’s focused on strong local journalism that readers can’t get anywhere else,” Stockdale said. “I’ve been impressed with everything from accountability journalism to the types of utility news that people need to live their best lives every day.”
In the future, Finaldi said, she wants to see The Packet hone in even more on issues relevant to residents, especially those inside gated communities, as well as crime and public safety, government accountability, growth and development and infrastructure issues.
She wants readers to know that anyone can reach out to her anytime with feedback on The Packet’s coverage or ideas for stories.
“I’m dedicated to figuring out the truth,” Finaldi said. “We’re not always going to be perfect, but just know that that’s the goal.”
Reach Laura Finaldi at 203-885-9580 or lfinaldi@islandpacket.com.
