Angela Kuper Copeland promoted to Executive Editor as The Paper enters Year Four

Angela Kuper Copeland has been promoted to Executive Editor, a new leadership role designed to strengthen The Paper’s newsroom as it enters its fourth year of covering Burke County.

In the new role, Copeland directly oversees all editorial and creative operations at The Paper, responsible for shaping the newsroom’s tone, voice, content architecture, and ethical standards.

The Executive Editor defines and upholds editorial policy, guides reporting decisions, approves major stories and investigations, and supervises section editors to maintain consistency, integrity, and excellence across the publication.

Copeland joined The Paper in December 2022 as a part-time education reporter. She envisioned and designed our popular A&E section and became its editor.

In January 2024 she was named The Paper’s Managing Editor. Copeland was promoted to Editor in May 2024; Bill Poteat continues in his treasured role of Editor Emeritus.

She earned a bachelor’s in journalism from Auburn University and a master’s in English from Troy University. Her editorials and journalistic leadership have garnered many North Carolina Press Association Awards. Copeland and her husband, Marshall, live in western Burke County.

Strengthening The Paper’s reporting staff, Jacob Christopher was recently named Courts and Education reporter earlier in the year. A native of Burke County, he holds a bachelor’s in English – Communication and Journalism from the University of Maine, and a Modern Journalism Certificate from New York University.

While pursuing those credentials, Christopher wrote and published articles on global health and technology for The Brogen Project, a globally focused nonprofit addressing poverty and hunger.

Christopher and his wife, Ashley, live in Granite Falls.

“As we enter our fourth year of publication, which we call The Paper 4.0, it was important to bring long-term leadership structure and unified focus to the publication,” said Publisher Allen VanNoppen. “Angela brings that ability and experience to the table. She has earned the respect of our team, our readers, and the community.”

“What this team has done in the first three years is remarkable by any measure,” he said. “Under Angela’s leadership, we’ll all witness that The Paper 4.0 will be more impactful and informative as it continues to deliver all local news that is responsible, thorough, balanced, and relevant.”