The Discourse was founded in 2014 by a small group of journalists who were frustrated by the pressure within legacy media to produce sensational rather than provide them real value.
We’ve since grown into a network of local news outlets, known as Discourse Community Publishing, that produce award-winning journalism, driven by the pursuit of truth and positive change. Read about the 10 principles that guide our editorial and business decisions here.
Shalu Mehta
Island Editor, Cowichan
Shalu Mehta moved to Vancouver Island in 2018 and has called it home ever since. She is a settler with family roots in Gujarat, India, but grew up on the Great Lakes in Chicago and Southwestern Ontario. Before becoming an editor, Shalu worked as a reporter and editorial lead for The Discourse Cowichan. She also has experience working in daily and breaking news at outlets in B.C. and Ontario. Shalu has a master’s degree in journalism and a bachelor’s degree in English and comparative literature and culture, as well as a certificate in theatre studies.
Shalu has a deep passion for trauma-informed journalism and aims to centre voices that aren’t often heard. She also enjoys environmental reporting and examining the intersections between social and environmental issues. Shalu takes a listening-first approach to her work and endeavours to ground it in learnings from the community.
Mick Sweetman
Community Reporter, Nanaimo
Mick moved to Nanaimo in late 2019. When back in school at Vancouver Island University in 2019, he got involved in the student news show at CHLY 101.7FM and worked as the station’s assistant news director. It was there that I first met Julie Chadwick, The Discourse Nanaimo’s founding reporter and her enthusiasm for covering local news in the city was infectious. In addition to news, Mick reports on arts and culture in the Nanaimo area every week. If you have any news tips, or think there is an issue that deserves a closer look, send him an email.
Madeline Dunnett
Founding Reporter, Comox Valley
After completing her journalism master’s at UBC, Madeline was excited for the opportunity to move back to her hometown of the Comox Valley when The Discourse opened up a new regional outlet in 2023.
As The Discourse’s Comox Valley reporter, Madeline’s journalism focuses mainly on environmental issues within the Comox Valley. This work comes as a response to community feedback about previous gaps in local coverage and was made possible with support from the Local Journalism Initiative.
Madeline is particularly passionate about learning and reporting on the connections between mental health and climate change’s impact on communities. In her spare time, she loves getting lost in a novel, drawing, or going on long forest runs.
Lauren Kaljur
Managing Editor
Lauren Kaljur is an Estonian settler who works with Discourse Community Publishing outlets to surface local, in-depth stories from people who we don’t hear from enough.
She’s passionate about innovation and collaboration in storytelling and works from the homelands of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and Səl̓ílwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations.
Brandi Schier
CEO, Discourse Community Publishing
Throughout her career as a community news publisher in the Interior, Brandi has learned people want to see independent, in-depth, solutions-focused local news. She is dedicated to living and learning new journalism models and bringing a solutions-based outlook to community news.
As the CEO of Discourse Community Publishing, Brandi leads a growing network of independent news outlets, including IndigiNews, The Discourse, Sun Peaks Independent News, The Wren and Revelstoke Mountaineer.
Eric Richards
Community Reporter, Cowichan Valley
A recent transplant to the valley, Eric grew up across B.C. and Alberta and obtained his Bachelor of Science at the University of Lethbridge in 2018. He then pursued broadcast journalism at SAIT in Moh’kinstsis (Calgary). His passion for the outdoors and climate issues guides his ongoing work in understanding life in the Cowichan Valley.
