RE:PUBLIC, the nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization dedicated to covering America’s 660 million acres of public land, proudly announces its first two official employees. Veteran journalist Elizabeth Hightower Allen joins as RE:PUBLIC’s Editorial Director, and Julianna Abuzzahab comes on board as Social Media Manager. They join founder Christopher Keyes, along with a board of directors that includes leaders from national media, the outdoor industry, and conservation efforts.
“These hires represent a major step forward for RE:PUBLIC,” said Christopher Keyes, the organization’s executive director and founder. “Elizabeth and Julianna bring deep expertise, fresh energy, and a shared commitment to independent, fact-driven reporting on America’s public lands. Their arrival signals the momentum we’re building—not just as a newsroom, but as a force for smarter, more accountable stewardship nationwide.”
Elizabeth Hightower Allen spent more than 20 years as features editor at Outside Magazine, assigning in-depth stories on the environment and public lands and writing the magazine’s Code Green column. She is the editor of First and Wildest: The Gila Wilderness at 100 (Torrey House Press), an award-winning collection of original essays in celebration of America’s first wilderness. As founder of Hightower Creative, she edits and coaches authors on book projects and magazine work. She also serves on the Board of Advisors for Writers on the Range, which provides free op-eds to independent newspapers across the West. Originally from Nashville, she lives with her husband and daughter in Santa Fe. In her new role at RE:PUBLIC, Allen will oversee day-to-day editorial strategy.
Julia Abuzzahab is a recent graduate of Columbia Journalism School, where she focused on science and environmental storytelling. She won an award for her thesis at Columbia, which focused on new research linking rising indoor temperatures driven by climate change to adverse pregnancy outcomes. Prior to graduate school, Julia received her bachelor’s degree in journalism from Marquette University, where she held various internship roles at the O’Brien Fellowship in Public Service Journalism, The Kenosha News, and Milwaukee Magazine. Originally from Wausau, Wisconsin, she now lives in New York City. Abuzzahab is responsible for growing RE:PUBLIC’s audiences on LinkedIn, Instagram, and other social platforms, editing video, and overseeing special editorial projects.
RE:PUBLIC’s future growth plans include hiring regional reporters and a data team, more development support, and expanding into events. For more information, go to www.republic.land
ABOUT RE:PUBLIC
RE:PUBLIC is a nonprofit, nonpartisan newsroom devoted entirely to covering America’s 660 million acres of public land. Through investigative reporting, narrative journalism, and hard-won facts, we tell the stories that matter—stories about who controls the land, how it’s changing, and what’s at stake for the generations who follow. We stand for accountability, transparency, and truth. We believe the public has a right to know what’s happening to public land. Learn more at www.republic.land.
