Islander Alumnus Libby Averyt Promoted to Regional Publisher of Caller-Times

Posted November 19, 2013

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi graduate, Libby Averyt, is set to become Regional Publisher and Chief Revenue Officer for the Caller-Times newspaper in Corpus Christi effective January 1, 2014. The announcement was recently made by the E.W. Scripps Company.

Averyt succeeds Darrell Coleman, who will retire at the end of the year, and spent the last four years as Publisher of the Caller-Times. Averyt graduated with a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Texas and earned a master’s degree in communication from Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. She began her career with the Caller-Times in 1986 as a police night-shift reporter. A few years later, she would become an award-winning journalist. After refusing to testify about unpublished information, Averyt received the esteemed Edward Willis Scripps Award for Distinguished Service to the First Amendment in 1990.

Through her hard work and dedication to the Caller-Times, she was promoted to Managing Editor in 2000 and to Editor, three years later. After five years serving as Editor, she transitioned into a new role as Vice President and Online General Manager until she was promoted to her current position, Vice President of Advertising in 2009.

Averyt remains active in the Corpus Christi community by serving as an Advisory Board Member for the Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse-Coastal Bend and as a Board Member of the South Texas Public Broadcasting. She is married to Charles Kaffie Jr. and between them they have five children.

alumnus, Ayvert Libby, CRO

Russell Wagner

My name is Russell Wagner and I am the Executive Director of Alumni Relations for Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. I am originally from the small town of Shiner, Texas and began attending Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi in Fall 2004. During my time as a student I was a volunteer tour guide and worked for the Island Waves Student Newspaper. I proudly earned my degree in Media Communication and received a minor in Public Relations in 2008 graduating Summa Cum Laude. I joined the University on a professional level immediately after graduation as an Admissions Counselor and Recruiter. I joined the Division of Institutional Advancement in Fall 2012 as an Alumni & Development Officer for the College of Liberal Arts. I was appointed to Director of Engagement in June 2015. As Director of Engagement, I oversee and implement the University’s alumni relations and engagement efforts with the community to create financial, personnel, and athletic support for the Island University. I also act as the Executive Director of the National Islander Alumni Association, Executive Director of the Young Business Professionals of the Coastal Bend, and oversee the Student Foundation Association, a student philanthropy group at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. I reside in Corpus Christi with my wife, Kelsey. She is an also an alumnae from Texas A&M-Corpus Christi’s outstanding College of Nursing & Health Sciences Nursing program. She currently works as a Registered Nurse at Driscoll Children’s Hospital. In our spare time we enjoy the outdoors, spending time with friends and family, traveling, and taking in the unique events that the Coastal Bend has to offer.