A fond farewell to Elise Hu

It doesn't seem like that long ago I wrote about Elise Hu's move from KVUE to the Texas Tribune.   Now, less than two years later, the Tribune reports, Ms. Hu is moving on, this time out of Austin:

She'll leave us in mid-February to become digital director of NPR's nascent Impact of Government project, which promises to produce excellent, public-spirited work covering state government in all 50 states. We hate to see her go, because she's been so integral to everything we've done these last 15 months, but she'll do great.

(image courtesy Texas Tribune)

Even if we didn't agree politically (or so I've heard), I'll miss Ms. Hu.  I got the opportunity to meet her when I participated in a focus group watching a Texas Republican gubernatorial debate (about which I apparently at one time intended to write), and she was nothing but professional.  If she didn't care for the conservative leanings of the candidates, it never showed that night.

Ms. Hu wrote about her upcoming move on her blog:

I wasn’t (and am still not fully) ready to leave our baby, or my real-life friends that helped build it, or the city that quickly became my home. I prefer Austin’s four seasons – mildly hot, medium hot, sauna hot and surface-of-sun hot – over actual seasons. But I decided to take this leap into another public media unknown because I’m sold on what a special opportunity this is to grow and learn, and on NPR’s commitment to being on the cutting edge of web journalism, which is of highest importance to me.

Now, I know I don't agree with the political leanings of NPR, and I've written about the future of public broadcasting previously, so I won't go into any of that now.  Right now is a moment to congratulate Ms. Hu on her new position and wish her all the best in Washington.

And so, best wishes, Elise.  I have no doubt you'll do well.