Out & About Newspaper has named a new editorial and sales leadership team with the departure of Brent Meredith, former managing editor and creative director.

The company has also announced that it will be outsourcing the production and design of the publication to a Nathan Grimes Design, a local graphic design firm in Murfreesboro.

Joey Leslie has been named managing editor. He will oversee a volunteer staff of more than 35 writers and be responsible for the editorial direction of the newspaper.

Leslie has won numerous awards from the Kentucky Press Association for business writing and social commentary. He has worked as an intern at The Cincinnati Post and the Appalachian News-Express and also served as assistant features editor for Western Kentucky University’s College Heights Herald.

Leslie obtained a bachelor’s degree in Journalism from WKU in May 2007. He began working with Out & About Newspaper as a writer in August ‘07 and took over as advertising sales manager in September 2007.

“Out & About Newspaper is a great publication and I am honored and delighted to be in the editor's seat, working with such a wonderful team," Leslie said. "This is an exciting time in the GLBT media and I look forward to continuing to provide our readers with the quality content they deserve."

Shane Burkett has been named advertising sales manager and will oversee all print and internet sales.

Burkett attended the University of Georgia at Athens and graduated in 1994 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration with an emphasis on business law. Burkett has worked with several large companies including Ford Motor Credit and Xerox. He and his life partner, Lane, also own SBResults, LLC, a business marketing firm that targets “mom and pop” organizations. The company has been in business for almost five years. 

“Out and About Newspaper has been a passion of mine because I realize how rare quality GLBT media providers are,” Burkett said. “Out and About Newspaper has been a beacon of strength in the Nashville and Middle-Tennessee community. Having the pleasure of working with Joey Leslie and the Out and About team is a dream come true.”

O&AN is Tennessee’s largest GLBT publication, and provides a monthly print publication, as well as an Internet site that is constantly updated with news. O&AN began publishing in October 2002.

“We’re very excited to have a new team in place with such exceptional credentials to take over the editorial and sales leadership of O&AN,” said Jerry Jones, owner and publisher of O&AN. “We promise our readers that we’ll continue to provide the excellent coverage of the GLBT community that they have come to expect.”

Meredith, who left as editor and creative director at the end of May, will continue to work with O&AN as a part-time sales person and as a volunteer in a new position as promotions director. In that role he will coordinate and oversee the many ticket giveaways and promotions that the newspaper is involved with.