Neill Caldwell, Editor of the Virginia Advocate

On August 1, 2006, Neill Caldwell joined the Virginia United Methodist Communications, Inc. staff. Primary responsibilities for this position include working with the communications team to produce the monthly Virginia United Methodist Advocate newsmagazine, the weekly Sunday Advocate (electronic bulletin insert), the Daily Advocate (during Annual Conference), the annual Book of Reports and Journal.

Caldwell comes to the Virginia Conference from High Point, North Carolina where he has been a free-lance writer for Our State magazine, The N C. Christian Advocate, United Methodist News Service, Interpreter magazine, and the UM Reporter. He has also been features editor for The Gaston Gazette, Gastonia, NC, and news designer for The Charlotte Observer, Charlotte, NC. He succeeds Larry Jent who will be taking a local church appointment following annual conference.

"For the past several years I've admired the quality of the Virginia Advocate magazine,” said Caldwell. “The opportunity to extend that excellent work, or even expand on it, is a very exciting challenge."

Currently, Caldwell is the United Methodist News Service "beat" reporter for the Judicial Council, chairperson of the Western North Carolina Conference Communications Commission, and president-elect of the Southeastern Jurisdiction Association of United Methodist Communicators.

“Neill is no stranger to outstanding journalism, having won numerous awards for excellence. We are delighted that he will be joining the Virginia communications team, bringing a unique set of skills and experience to our work,” said Carole Vaughn, Virginia Conference director of communications.

Some of those honors include the 2003 Lilly Fellow at Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism and Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary, where Caldwell was one of five professional journalists from around the nation selected to participate in a special program to study how the media covers religion, spirituality and ethics. He is also a seven-time winner of the North Carolina Press Association's annual awards contest, having won in four separate categories: writing, criticism, layout/design, and graphics. In addition, he is a past winner of The New York Times Chairman of the Board's Award, given among members of The New York Times Newspaper Group for outstanding journalism.

Caldwell earned a B.S. in Communications/Media from Appalachian State University, Boone, NC, M.A. in Liberal Studies from University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and holds a Certificate in the Media's Relationship to Religion, Spirituality and Ethics from Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary/Medill School of Journalism, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL.

Caldwell is married to the Rev. Lynne Blankenship Caldwell, an elder in the Western North Carolina Conference currently serving as the High Point district superintendent. In his leisure time, Neill follows sports and sings in the Lexington, NC, Choral Society. He has been a teacher of three levels of Disciple Bible Study.