Veteran food and dining journalist Beth McKibben is joining Rough Draft Atlanta as Senior Editor responsible for Food and Dining and will lead the company’s coverage of the industry across both print and digital platforms, including Reporter Newspapers, Atlanta Intown, and the newsletter portfolio.
McKibben, who will also contribute to news and lifestyle coverage, will begin in early January 2024.
McKibben joins Rough Draft with more than 13 years of experience covering the food and beverage industry, both nationally and locally, including contributing coverage at Atlanta magazine and for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution as its cocktails and spirits writer. Most recently, she served as Editor of Eater Atlanta, a Vox Media publication.
“Like everybody who cares about the restaurant scene in Atlanta, Beth has long been at the top of my rotation of must-read journalists for insightful coverage of our renowned food scene. I couldn’t be more excited to welcome her to the team,” said Keith Pepper, Publisher of Rough Draft Atlanta.
“Readers should expect to see more robust coverage across the papers, our website, and in newsletters. Beth’s expertise will also help us grow our events in 2024 and beyond,” he continued.
“After a decade with Eater—first as a regular contributor and then as the Atlanta editor for the past six years—I look forward to joining the reporting team at Rough Draft. I am excited about contributing to the growth of the dining coverage into a trusted source for community-driven food news and feature stories,” McKibben said
“Having Beth McKibben join the Rough Draft team to elevate our food and dining coverage was one of my dreams I never thought would come true,” Rough Draft Atlanta Editor Collin Kelley said. “I’ve long-admired Beth’s writing and the in-depth knowledge she brings to Atlanta’s eclectic, dynamic restaurant scene.”
In addition to her work covering food, McKibben was a guest editor for the Forest Park issue published by local news nonprofit Canopy Atlanta.