Nuvo editor departing alternative weekly for nation’s capital

Katherine Coplen, the first woman to lead Nuvo's editorial department, is leaving the alternative weekly newspaper at the end of January after about a year and a half in the top editor's position.

Coplen, 29, who replaced Ed Wenck as Nuvo’s editorial leader in June 2016, is moving to Washington, D.C., “for a new work adventure” and to be closer to her boyfriend, she said in a Facebook post Friday. Wenck had held the job for less than three years.

Coplen

Coplen started her career at Nuvo as music editor in 2011 after graduating from Indiana University.

“Working with the talented writers, photographers, designers, illustrators, editors, and other buds at Nuvo—of whom there's literally too many to name without [Facebook] shutting down—has been a full-on joy, and exploring Indianapolis as a job is just as good as you think it would be," Coplen wrote.

Nuvo Publisher Kevin McKinney told IBJ on Monday that he hopes to have Coplen’s replacement hired “in the next couple of weeks.”

“We’re mostly advertising the opening in Nuvo and through social media,” McKinney said. “We’ve always found we get the best candidates from our readers.”

The opening, McKinney said, is already creating interest. McKinney acknowledged it won’t be easy to replace Coplen.

“Katherine was phenomenal," McKinney said. "Since the time she arrived here, we were astounded at how bright she was and what a great writer and editor she was. She was an absolutely great project manager."

“One of her greatest talents is how she brought this staff together,” McKinney added. “She really knows how to get the best out of people. We’re going to miss her.”

Despite Coplen’s departure, McKinney said Nuvo has a bright future.

“We have a great group here, and we’re really excited about where we are headed,” he said.

Nuvo has a weekly print circulation of 26,000. The publication also has posted a job opening for a full-time sales manager.