Staff Biographies - The Byway

Staff of The Byway in December 2020 — Early Byway staff and contributors show the paper’s earliest issues in Escalante, December 10, 2020.

Editor Biographies

Meet the people at The Byway. And see how small town Southern Utah life plays out on the ground.

*Note: Views expressed by any of our writers or contributing writers do not necessarily represent the views of the paper. We consider ourselves a forum for positive civil discourse, where ideas from people of all backgrounds and orientations can be shared.

AJ Martel – Escalante

AJ Martel is the youth coordinator at The Byway, but he is involved in most everything. He and his family live in Escalante, and they love it here! AJ has found Utah’s small towns quite inviting and under-defended, which is why he’s so involved with the paper. What AJ loves to do most, though, is serve his community. That is clear through everything he writes and does for Escalante, Utah.

See AJ Martel‘s articles.

Abbie Call – Cannonville/Kirksville, Missouri

Abbie Call is a journalist and editor at The Byway. She graduated in 2022 with a bachelor’s degree in editing and publishing from Brigham Young University. Her favorite topics to write about include anything local, Utah’s megadrought, and mental health and meaning in life. In her free time, she enjoys reading, hanging out with family, quilting and hiking.

Find Abbie on Threads @abbieb.call or contact her at [email protected].

See Abbie Call‘s articles.

Elaine Baldwin – Panguitch

Elaine Baldwin is an Editor/Writer for The Byway. She is the wife of Dale Baldwin, and they have three children, 11 grandchildren and one great granddaughter. Elaine enjoys making a difference in her world. She recently retired after teaching Drama for 20 years at Panguitch High School. She loves volunteering and finds her greatest joy serving in the Cedar City Temple each Friday.

See Elaine Baldwin‘s articles.

Junior Editor

Nadia Griffin – Escalante

Nadia is a designer and junior editor for The Byway. She graduated from Escalante High School in 2023. She is also the oldest of nine children. Nadia enjoys writing in almost every genre. In her free time, she loves to play and compose music. She also likes to compete in basketball, cross country, and track and field for her high school.

Starting August 12, Nadia will be serving a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the New Jersey Morristown Mission.

See Nadia Griffin‘s articles.

Junior Journalists’ Biographies

Ari Hurdsman – Junction

Ari Hurdsman is a junior journalist at the Byway. She just recently moved to Ephraim, Utah, where she is a freshman at Snow College. She enjoys writing about Piute sports, and she’s really good at it! In her free time, she enjoys singing, dancing, reading and hanging out with friends and family.

See Ari Hurdsman‘s articles.

Hailee Eyre – Panguitch

Hailee Eyre is a journalist at The Byway. She attended Southern Utah University in the fall and is pursuing a career in the medical field. Her favorite topics to write about are those that intend to inspire others, providing motivation as means to better yourself or the world around you. In her free time, Hailee loves to be outdoors, whether it be hunting, fishing, boating or hiking.

Hailee is currently serving a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Pennsylvania and New York Church History Sites Mission.

See Hailee Eyre‘s articles.

Ella Hughes – Panguitch

Ella Hughes is a junior journalist and editor at The Byway. She has recently graduated from Panguitch High School and has written for The Byway for two years now. Her favorite topics to write about are history as well as present-day local events. In her free time she enjoys singing, watching movies, reading books, and spending time with her family she adores.

Ella is currently serving a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She is serving in the Philippines Tacloban Mission.

See Ella Hughes‘ articles.