Herald Independent and McFarland Thistle announce new reporter

Adams Publishing Group has announced the addition of a new reporter to its staff covering its Hometown News weekly newspapers.

Ellie Bourdo began as APG’s new municipal reporter on Oct. 7. She will report on the villages of DeForest, Windsor, Waunakee, Marshall and McFarland, along with the cities of Monona and Sun Prairie.

Bourdo is a Wisconsin native and grew up in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin. She has a passion for writing and news, which led her to pursue a degree in journalism and Spanish from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2024.

During her time at UW-Madison, Bourdo was involved with the independent student newspaper, the Daily Cardinal, where she served as the Associate News Desk Editor and the Features Desk Editor. There, she covered a wide variety of events, ranging from breaking news to investigative stories.

Bourdo also gained experience reporting at various internships throughout her college career. She spent her time working at WisPolitics, WISN-12 News and the Wisconsin Journalism Education Association.

“I can’t wait to get started at APG and serve the greater Madison area!” Bourdo said. “I love Madison, and I want to give back to this community.”

“We are so excited to have Ellie Bourdo join our team. We are confident that her talents will serve our readers and the communities well,” Roberta Baumann, editor, said.

Aside from reporting, Bourdo also enjoys rock climbing, traveling and spending time with friends and family. In her free time, you can often find her exploring new restaurants around the city or cheering on the Badgers and Packers during football season.