About Us
The Cowboy State Free Press is a Wyoming nonprofit news service that has been founded to bring a full and clear view of state government, elections, taxes and spending to citizens in a way that is understandable and accessible.
The Cowboy State Free Press is a Wyoming 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation.
The Cowboy State Free Press is supported, in part, by private contributions. We do not, and will not seek or accept government funding of any sort. It is the policy of the Cowboy State Free Press to keep the contributions of private individuals and organizations confidential unless they specifically choose to be listed.
Our Mission – to Seek the Facts and Report Them
Our Vision – to be the News about state government and politics in Wyoming
Our Philosophy – to abide by the Society of Professional Journalists Code of Ethics. We will be absolutely nonpartisan. Our only bias is in favor of Wyoming being the best place it can be, which means shining a light on the good being done and making as much noise as possible when the public interest is being subverted or ignored. It doesn’t matter to us if Democrats, Republicans, Independents, or Wiccans are in charge. We’ll call ‘em as we see ‘em.
Our Purpose – to bring a full and clear view of Wyoming state government, elections, taxes, and spending to citizens in a way that is understandable and accessible.
Personnel
Bill McCarthy – Editor
Sue Wallis – Executive Director
Sue Wallis, the founder of the Cowboy State Free Press, serves as the initial President of the Board, and the Executive Director responsible for day-to-day operations, overall oversight and administrative governance of the organization, as well as ensuring that the enterprise has all of the resources necessary to complete their mission.
Wallis is an accomplished writer, publisher, editor and administrator who lives and works from her family’s ranch north of Recluse, Wyoming. Sue currently serves as the Wyoming State Representative from her district, the rural outer rim of Campbell County encompassing Recluse, Rozet and Wright.
Wallis has a diverse background in creative writing, publishing, nonprofit administration, corporate industry, and solid technical expertise from a functional standpoint having served as a team lead on a global roll-out of a customized integrated business system. As a nonprofit arts administrator, Wallis was responsible for all aspects of fundraising, and for managing personnel, events, facilities, and volunteers–most notably serving as the Interim Chief Financial Officer overseeing a $3.5 million budget for the Western Folklife Center, which is most known for one of its events, the Cowboy Poetry Gathering in Elko, Nevada.
Krissa Thom – Operations Manager
Krissa Thom has been active in agriculture her whole life. She partners with her two brothers in their beef cattle operation and was raised on the family crop farm. Originally from Michigan, she graduated from Michigan State University with BS degree in Animal Science and more recently graduated with a Master’s degree in public policy from New England College.
She has interned for Michigan Cattleman’s Association and National Pork Producers Council and has worked for Michigan State University and the Michigan State Fair managing the Miracle of Life exhibit. She was the summer 2006 intern for Animal Agriculture Alliance in Arlington, VA and upon her graduation from Michigan State University, joined the staff full-time for a year and half. Krissa also worked with TV/radio personality and agriculture advocate Trent Loos during the summer of 2007 and joined his efforts as a voice for agriculture. Krissa recently joined the staff of the Cowboy State Free Press, but also works for the United Organizations of the Horse and continues to work part-time for the Animal Agriculture Alliance.
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