Planet Detroit is thrilled to welcome two new staff this week! These hires will help us grow and better connect to and serve our audience and community.

Angela Lugo-Thomas is our Community Engagement Director. She’ll be hitting the pavements this summer + beyond, attending community meetings to get more Detroiters (and Metro Detroiters) connected to Planet Detroit and to help us better understand and respond to residents’ information needs.

Lugo-Thomas, also known as Detroit Boricua, has a Puerto Rican heart with Detroit soul. She lives in Highland Park with her family and enjoys leading walking groups, gardening, dancing, photography, organizing community events, and is a member of several local groups and community organizations. follow her on Twitter at @DetroitBoricua.

And Jessica Soulliere also joins us this week as Partnerships & Projects Director, where she’ll be managing our grant-funded projects, deepening our relationships with Impact Partners and media partners, and honing our marketing strategy.

Soulliere is a long-time Detroit resident who is observant and involved in issues related to the environment, urban planning, ecological landscaping and public health. She has experience working in the media, nonprofit, and philanthropy sectors and running a small business. You’ll find her tending her native plant nursery on her time off. Follow her on Twitter at @JCheySoul.

Thank you for supporting Planet Detroit and making our growth possible!