Therese Bottomly was named the editor and vice president of content at The Oregonian/OregonLive in 2018. She plans to retire from the news organization in August 2025.
Courtesy of Dave Killen/The Oregonian
Therese Bottomly, executive editor of The Oregonian/OregonLive and a fierce defender of public access to information, is retiring after more than four decades at one of the largest news organizations in the Pacific Northwest.
In her current role, Bottomly oversees newsroom operations and writes a regular column about reporting and journalistic decision making in Oregon. Her last day will be Aug. 1.
“I’ve dedicated my life to trying to open up government records, trying to hold the highest principles of journalism,” Bottomly told OPB. “And now I’m ready to go travel and explore the world and relax a little bit.”
Bottomly was born and raised in Portland. She attended the University of Oregon, where she played varsity soccer from 1979-1981. Two days after graduating from UO’s journalism school in 1983, Bottomly started as a copy desk intern at The Oregonian.
During Bottomly’s 42-year tenure, The Oregonian has won six Pulitzer Prizes. She’s held multiple titles, including managing and senior editor, according to the retirement announcement from The Oregonian/OregonLive. In 2018, she took over as vice president of content and executive editor.
The journalism industry has been navigating, sometimes clumsily, the rapid adoption of the internet in everyday life. Technology and online access has transformed the media and forced traditional news organizations to find new ways to bring in revenue. As other newsrooms shrank, Bottomly helped The Oregonian achieve relative stability during her time in charge.
Throughout Bottomly’s time as a leader in The Oregonian newsroom, she’s remained committed to accountability reporting while helping the newspaper transition to a mainly digital publication.
“It’s really a challenge getting people’s attention,” Bottomly said.
But investigating institutions that have power over people’s lives, she said, will hold people’s attention.
“That’s the kind of journalism that people will remember,” Bottomly said.