Long-time local investigative journalist Rick Carroll announced his resignation as managing editor of Aspen Daily News, capping almost three decades covering courts, business, and more for various Aspen publications.
Carroll publicized his “roughly two weeks” notice in an ADN column Sunday. He will take the post of Snowmass Communications Specialist, the town’s newly created position, on Jan. 5.
“After nearly 30 years as a journalist in the Roaring Fork Valley, this new role represents an opportunity to take what I’ve learned on the reporting side and bring it inside local government,” Carroll wrote in a statement to The Aspen Times. “I’m grateful for the chance to serve the Snowmass Village community and help ensure clear, accessible communication around town priorities, services, and events.”
Graduating from Centenary College in Louisiana, Carroll began working for the Aspen Daily News in March 1997, where he served as editor in chief, before taking the position as managing editor of The Aspen Times in January 2007. He returned to Aspen Daily News in March 2023 and has worked there since. Carroll, who has also worked for Aspen Journalism part-time, has won several Colorado Press Association journalism awards during his tenure as a journalist.
Snowmass Mayor Alyssa Shenk said the town is lucky to have someone like Carroll in the position.
“He understands the community, he knows what the issues are, he’s a longtime local. He’s a very experienced journalist,” she said. “And I think he’ll be able to help us craft and communicate the messages to the community in a new and exciting way.”
Along with a Human Resources Generalist, the Snowmass Communications Specialist was one of two new positions created by the town late this year. Shenk said the creation of Carroll’s position aligned with council’s goal of enhancing communication within the community to allow residents to learn about council’s projects and collaborate with the town. She added that the position would be a “very welcome addition to our already excellent town staff.”
Assistant Town Manager Greg LeBlanc said Carroll, in his new role, will have duties like issuing press releases and informative emails, running the town’s social media, updating its website, talking to the media, and creating communications posters about town projects. The other side of Carroll’s responsibilities will include community engagement.
“So looking at all of the subsets of our community, how to give voice to or give a platform to all the different voices,” LeBlanc said, “and making sure that they’re heard, that their comments are incorporated into the feedback process.”
LeBlanc said the town is also thinking of incorporating tourism data and an engagement hub into its communications strategy. The hub would provide online information about the town’s projects and allow community members opportunity to voice their opinions through comments.
LeBlanc said the town had around 100 applicants for the communications position.
“And Rick, with his experience and just how he carried himself,” LeBlanc said, “made him rise to the top of the pool.”
