Mahoning Matters

Mark Sweetwood is a 38-year news media veteran with experience at newspapers and websites in Illinois, New York, Florida and Ohio. Until Aug. 31, 2019, Mark served as managing editor of The Vindicator. During his 11-plus years there, the staff was honored with many accolades including two first-place general excellence awards as well as the coveted First Amendment Award from the Ohio Associated Press Media Editors. On Sept. 4, 2019 Mark started as local editor for Mahoning Matters, a digital website collaboration of McClatchy Newspapers and Google launched to maintain journalism in the Valley and to tell the stories that might otherwise go untold. He also is an adjunct professor teaching journalism at Youngstown State University. Mark lives in Boardman with his wife, Mary and their two cats.

Thea Nixon has been in sales, sales management, and marketing  over 35+ years. Most of her years were spent in media advertising in the Youngstown market. Thea worked for such radio stations as Y-103 FM,WPIC AM,and their sister stations. In 2001, she left radio to join the sales team at WKBN/FOX -TV. After many years in TV, she left taking her experience and became Director of Sales and Marketing for a water treatment company which operated 7 dealerships spanning 5 states .   

This past June she started her new role as Business Development & Community Partnerships for Mahoning Matters. Her role is to connect with the local businesses  and organizations, build brand awareness, and acquire new customers, while  bringing Mahoning Matters to the forefront and to promote their initiatives. Thea is very excited to be a part of the Mahoning Matters team.

Thea resides  right across the border in PA. with her husband Mark and two dogs. She also is a proud mother of a son, Steven, who resides in Hermitage and is engaged to be married in 2021.