About Us

Meet the Team

The Overlook is led by a team of experienced journalists, media professionals, and community leaders committed to strengthening local news in the Catskills and Hudson Valley.

Noah Eckstein – Founding Editor-in-Chief

A bilingual journalist and editor, Noah has written for The New York Times, Vogue, Semafor, Variety, The Guardian, Fast Company, and other international, national, and regional outlets. He studied at Columbia University and holds a bachelor’s degree in Journalism from City, University of London, and a master’s degree in U.S. History and Politics from University College London. Noah’s research on misinformation and politics, conducted in partnership with YouGov, reflects his deep interest in the intersection of media and democracy. Noah has reported from places like Peru’s Sacred Valley, South Dakota’s Pine Ridge Reservation, and across the Hudson Valley covering stories that bridge politics, art, and culture. Honored to be The Overlook’s Founding Editor-in-Chief, he is dedicated to building trust and engagement through rigorous local reporting, investigations, and daring features.

Scott Widmeyer – Co-Founder & Steering Committee Member

Scott Widmeyer has had a distinguished career in journalism and communications, advising leaders from U.S. presidents to CEOs and union heads. He founded Widmeyer Communications (now part of Finn Partners) and has held key roles in political and media strategy. A longtime Ulster County resident, Scott has served on numerous boards, including The Education Writers Association, The Leadership Academy, and The Catskill Mountain Foundation. He chairs the School of Media & Public Affairs National Council at The George Washington University and co-chairs the Stubblefield Institute for Civil Political Communications. Scott’s  commitment to community journalism stems from a lifetime of media experience, dating back to his early days as a newspaper reporter.

Jacqueline Kellachan – Co-Founder & Steering Committee Member

In 2010, Jacqueline Kellachan purchased The Golden Notebook, a beloved independent bookstore in Woodstock, ensuring its survival as a vibrant cultural hub. With a background in public health—including roles at the NYC and NYS Departments of Health and The Rockefeller Foundation—she has spent her career advocating for literacy, equity, and community-based initiatives. The Golden Notebook has partnered with nearly every school district in Ulster County to promote youth reading programs. Kellachan has degrees from Princeton University, Georgetown University, and Columbia University and has served on the boards of the Ulster Literacy Association and the Woodstock Day School.

William van Roden – Steering Committee Member

William van Roden is a designer and art director with an extensive career spanning magazine design, branding, and identity systems. He has worked with The New York Times, Metropolis, Real Simple, Interior Design, and Martha Stewart Omnimedia, designing everything from books to major newspaper layouts. At The New York Times, he oversaw branding audits and designed elements of the print edition, including Page 2 and 3 and award-winning podcast branding. He runs his own studio based in Kingston, serving both local and international clients.

Jim Rich – Reporter

Jim Rich has worked in journalism for more than 25 years. He was twice editor-in-chief of the NY Daily News, overseeing an investigation into New York City’s abuse of nuisance abatement laws, in conjunction with Pro Publica, that was awarded the 2017 Pulitzer Prize for Public Service Journalism. He lives in West Shokan with his wife and son.

Mercedes Dykes – Intern

Mercedes Dykes studies Journalism at West Virginia University.

Advisory Board Members

The Overlook is supported by an advisory board with deep expertise in journalism, media, and public affairs, including:

Peggy Barmore

An independent journalist focused on education and rural reporting, Peggy has written for The Hechinger Report, U.S. News & World Report, The Seattle Times, and The Charleston Gazette-Mail. She has an extensive background in public relations and communications, having spent more than two decades working in the education labor movement in New York before returning to journalism. She holds a master’s degree from Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism.

Alexis Gelber

An award-winning newspaper and magazine editor, Alexis served as a top editor at Newsweek for decades, overseeing coverage of politics, social issues, and international news. She has also worked at The Daily Beast and is an adjunct professor at NYU’s Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute. She edited Newsweek’s acclaimed presidential election projects in 2004 and 2008 and has been deeply involved in research on women in politics and social media.

Peter Cherukuri

A media executive with leadership experience at POLITICO, Huffington Post, and The Economist Group, Peter is the founder of LeaderBoard, a media and intelligence startup focused on boardroom governance. He has been deeply involved in startup incubators and angel investment networks, including 1776 and K Street Capital, and serves on numerous media-related boards, including NPR affiliate WAMU and the National Press Foundation.

Lisa A. Phillips

A journalism professor at SUNY New Paltz, Lisa is the author of “Unrequited: Women and Romantic Obsession” and “Public Radio: Behind the Voices”. She was the founding Hudson Valley Bureau Chief for WAMC Northeast Public Radio and has written for The New York Times, The Washington Post, Psychology Today, Longreads, and Salon.

Amy Scheibe

A novelist, editor, ghostwriter, and producer, Amy is the Creative Director of the Maude Adams Theater Hub, a program of the Catskill Mountain Foundation. She is also the Chairperson of the Hunter Foundation and is active in literary and cultural projects across the region.

Mark Land

A veteran former newspaper editor whose 40-year career also includes communications leadership roles in corporate America and higher education, Mark currently is Vice President for Communications and Marketing at Union College in Schenectady, NY. He brings two decades of community journalism experience in Indiana, New York, Pennsylvania and Michigan and extensive work as a journalism educator to The Overlook.

Lauren Johnston

A newsroom leader and content strategist with two decades of experience leading digital transformation and growth initiatives at top media companies and working across editorial, product, and audience teams. Lauren has held leadership roles at Yahoo, The New York Daily News and was a longtime adjunct journalism professor at St. John’s University. She lives in Woodstock and Brooklyn and is currently Executive Editor at the travel and community platform Atlas Obscura.