CARY, N.C. — BlueLena today announces the expansion of BlueLena Advisory, its strategy consulting division for independent and nonprofit news organizations, with the addition of accomplished media executives April Brumley Hinkle and Emily Dresslar as principal consultants and the launch of a dedicated practice focused on earned revenue, advertising, sponsorship, events and corporate partnerships.
This expansion builds on BlueLena Advisory’s launch earlier this year, broadening its focus beyond fundraising and philanthropic revenue to help publishers develop more diversified and sustainable business models.
BlueLena Advisory will now offer specialized expertise across the full revenue portfolio, helping organizations strengthen the strategy, systems, products, personnel and processes needed to grow both contributed and earned revenue.
“Publishers recognize that long-term sustainability requires developing multiple, complementary revenue streams, but many lack the capacity or depth of experience to build those programs,” said Daniel Williams, CEO of BlueLena. “April and Emily have spent their careers successfully building exactly these kinds of operations. Bringing their expertise into BlueLena Advisory significantly expands what we can offer publishers as they move from experimenting with earned revenue to building disciplined, scalable revenue operations.”
Hinkle brings decades of experience in media sales, advertising, sponsorship and business development. She spent over 20 years at Texas Monthly, ultimately becoming publisher, before joining The Texas Tribune as its founding chief revenue officer. There, she helped develop corporate sponsorship and earned-revenue programs that became key components of the Tribune’s diversified business model.
At the Tribune, Hinkle expanded traditional sponsorships into customized corporate programs that included events, digital products and other publisher assets. Her experience in both commercial and nonprofit media provides valuable insight into how mission-driven publishers can form business partnerships while maintaining editorial independence.
Dresslar brings extensive experience in media innovation, business strategy, revenue development and publisher coaching. She previously served as director of RevLab at The Texas Tribune, an industry training and innovation program that worked with over 350 newsrooms and reports generating more than $1.5 million in new revenue for participating publishers.
Before RevLab, Dresslar led business operations for The Compass Experiment at McClatchy, a Google News Initiative-supported project created to develop sustainable local news businesses, and previously managed strategic partnerships for Calkins Digital.
“Philanthropy, membership and individual giving will continue to be essential components of the independent news business model, but they cannot carry the entire burden of sustainability,” shared Hinkle and Dresslar. “Publishers have valuable audiences, trusted brands, powerful convening capabilities and deep relationships within their communities. Our goal is to help them translate those assets into diversified revenue without compromising journalism or trust. At the same time, we help them add value and enhance the overall brand experience through resourceful, highly aligned messaging from earned revenue sponsors and advertisers.”
Hinkle and Dresslar will work with BlueLena Advisory clients to assess existing revenue portfolios, identify new opportunities and build the organizational infrastructure needed to convert these opportunities into sustainable revenue.a
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