Lydia Earhart has been named managing editor of The Forum and editor of CityLife magazine.

Earhart will replace current editor Staci Parks as she leaves the position to pursue graduate school at the University of North Texas in Denton.

Earhart, a 2007 Louisiana Tech University graduate, comes to Venture Publishing from the Girl Scouts of Louisiana – Pines to the Gulf, where she worked in fund development.

Earhart, who has worked at publications in Lafayette and New York, has significant experience in media.

“It is such an exciting time to join The Forum staff. With the 25th anniversary happening this fall, I’m ready to dedicate my experience to make the upcoming issues reflect on the past as well as dictate the success in our future,” Earhart said.

Parks, a 2009 Louisiana Tech University graduate, has been with Venture Publishing since December 2010. She will pursue a master’s degree in journalism through the University of North Texas’ Mayborn Graduate Institute of Journalism.

“Serving as editor of The Forum has afforded me a rare and great opportunity to see a community shift and move forward. The ideas, resilience and positive energy of the eclectic collective of business owners, artists, young professionals, volunteers, entrepreneurs and musicians this community has embraced has served as a catalyst for growth,” Parks said.

“There’s an energy brewing here. From the infectious new breath of life that has revived downtown Shreveport, to the progression of Shreveport Common, to the enhanced quality of life new businesses have added to the city, Shreveport-Bossier is at the helm of a true sense of individuality and progress. No matter where I may land after graduate school, I’ll always be an ambassador for Shreveport- Bossier City.”

President and Publisher Jay Covington looks forward to having Earhart aboard.

“Managing Editor Lydia Earhart brings her experience and a passion for journalism and has been on board for several weeks working on a seamless transition. We have a lot of new things that we will be sharing with our readership over the next few months as well as celebrating our 25th year beginning in September. A new chapter for The Forum begins and we are pleased for Lydia – and our readers and advertisers – to be a part,” Covington said. “We will certainly miss Staci. She has been a bright light at The Forum and added extraordinary vibrancy to our publications, always going the extra mile and winning friends among our associates. She will do well no matter what her endeavors, and we wish her every success.”

It is such an exciting time to join The Forum staff. With the 25th anniversary happening this fall, I’m ready to dedicate my experience to make the upcoming issues refl ect on the past as well as dictate the success in our future.

Earhart will begin her tenure as editor with the publication of the Aug. 7 issue of The Forum.

– Staff report