The Ledger Independent’s own reporter, Lauren Tatman, has been nationally recognized as one of E&P Magazine’s New’s Trailblazers for 2026.
Editor & Publisher Magazine (E&P) has been in print since 1901. According to its webpage, it was founded on “reporting stories centered on the traditional, legacy news publishing industry” and known for years as the “bible of the newspaper industry.” However, today, E&P publishes all aspects of news media.
Every year, E&P reports its “News Trailblazers,” a list of individuals under the age of 35 who E&P claims are “blazing a new trail for our industry.”
“Several months ago, Editor & Publisher requested nominations for ‘2026 Tomorrow’s News Trailblazers’, formerly known as ‘25 Under 35,’” stated The Ledger Independent’s publisher, Jennifer Donahue. “When something crosses my desk or inbox and I recognize someone who truly fits, I make it a point to take a few minutes to nominate a member of our team. We have a great team and it’s nice that others see the hard work we do each day.”
Donahue expressed her belief that hard work often goes unrecognized, explaining that she wanted Tatman to know how much her hard work and dedication is appreciated.
“When nominations opened for the 2026 News Trailblazers, Lauren immediately came to mind,” Donahue continued. “Anyone who has followed our coverage of the proposed Data Center has likely seen her name in bylines and her presence at every meeting. Lauren has spent countless hours researching, gathering facts, asking the tough questions, and clearly presenting that information in her reporting. It’s wonderful to see the judges recognize her efforts as well.
“We have a fantastic team, and I’m incredibly proud of Lauren and her well-deserved recognition,” she concluded.
Tatman, 28, graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication from the University of Cincinnati. However, it was several years before she chose a career in media.
“I had a professor who expressed that I should become a writer and that they believed I was good at it,” said Tatman. “A few months after I graduated from college, I began an internship at The Ledger Independent and grew a love/appreciation for local media and print and all of the hard work that goes into making it possible.”
Tatman noted that her education taught her not only about writing, but about communication itself and how to do it successfully and meaningfully in everyday life.
“It has helped shape how I research, how I approach the ways in which I report on topics, and also how I can have a dialogue with members of the community,” she explained.
Tatman expressed that her nomination took her by surprise.
“I was not aware that I was nominated so it was an exciting surprise to see,” she said. “It is a great honor to be listed amongst other members of media throughout the U.S., and it is great to see how diverse media is and what we do in sharing information to communities. Working in media requires a lot of long hours and hard work and it is small moments like this that are one of the things that makes it feel extra special.”
She added that the most rewarding part of the job is when someone says something she has written means something to them or has helped them become informed on a local topic.
“That is what we strive to do, is help inform the public of local topics and what is going on in the community,” Tatman concluded.
Tatman is featured in this month’s edition of E&P magazine, which can be accessed at editorandpublisher.com by scrolling down to the “Meet E&P’s 2026 Tomorrow’s News Trailblazers.”
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