Alex Bruell, editor of The Beachcomber since October 2023, will step down this month to pursue new professional and creative ventures.

His last day with the paper will be August 20, two years after he joined the newspaper. Bruell spent two months transitioning into the editor role under the guidance of former editor and current reporter Elizabeth Shepherd.

After Bruell leaves, Shepherd will temporarily helm the newsroom while it conducts the hiring process for a new staff member.

The work has been deeply meaningful but also unrelenting, Bruell said, leading him to the decision that the time was right to explore other interests.

“This community deserves, and The Beachcomber needs, an editor with a deep passion for this job,” he said.

Bruell previously worked as a journalist at daily and weekly newspapers in Longview, Enumclaw and Federal Way before joining The Beachcomber.

Under his leadership, Bruell and the staff of The Beachcomber has won numerous awards from both the Washington Newspaper Publisher’s Association and the Society of Professional Journalists, and extensively covered island issues including the Seattle Indian Health Board’s Thunderbird Treatment Center and the evolution of island health care.

Aside from pursuing the paper’s mission to inform the Vashon community, his proudest achievement, Bruell said, was the development of freelancers Aspen Anderson and Mari Kanagy, two young journalists who have collectively filled The Beachcomber’s pages with dozens of news articles over the last 12 months.

“Alex’s tenure as editor has brought creativity, new voices, solid reporting, robust opinion pages and vibrant special sections to our pages,” said Shepherd. “We will deeply miss his leadership, but are excited to see what comes next for him.”

Daralyn Anderson, publisher of The Beachcomber, also offered high praise for Bruell’s work.

“We’ve been so fortunate to have Alex as our editor for the past two years,” she said. “He has been a professional, helpful and very appreciated force for good at the paper. We wish him all the best in his future endeavors.”