Bucks County Beacon has eyes set on the future with its latest executive hiring.
In a strategic move to grow the online news media platform’s footprint, profile, brand and aspirations – and to ensure a legacy local news service for current and future audiences – Daralyse R. Lyons has been named Bucks County Beacon’s first chief revenue officer.
“Honestly, what excites me most about Dara’s talents is how excited she is to be part of the team and grow the organization. She is a go-getter, and I’m ready for her to bring that energy to the team. Besides that, she has fundraising chops, she is an excellent writer and has tons of great ideas to really get our revenue program on track – to make us sustainable for the long term,” said Emily Smith, Bucks County Beacon owner and publisher.
In the role as chief revenue officer, Lyons will be responsible for creating and executing revenue strategies. She’ll cultivate donors and shepherd grant applications; lead sales initiatives and increase Bucks County Beacon’s profile through community events and hands-on engagement.
Lyons will be responsible to craft and scale sustainable revenue streams to allow the news outlet’s ownership to focus on the publication’s operations.
“I have always been passionate about scrappy, start-up cultures and being in places where I feel empowered to make a difference. The Beacon’s news coverage fills a critical role not only in Bucks County, but nationwide. I want to be a part of that,” Lyons said.
Smith acknowledged Bucks County Beacon is still considered a start-up. She acquired ownership of the publication in March 2024, after working to create and manage it for the prior three years. She said beyond freelance writers “every hire is a brand new role for the company.”
“Daralyse has a wealth of experience in local news, fundraising and development and finance, more generally,” Smith explained.
Lyons is no stranger to public and community stakeholder collaboration.
“I have always been passionate about scrappy, start-up cultures and being in places where I feel empowered to make a difference. The Beacon’s news coverage fills a critical role not only in Bucks County, but nationwide. I want to be a part of that.” – Daralyse R. Lyons,
She served as the vice president of the Philadelphia Chapter of The Association of LGBTQ+ Journalists and was a member of two National Association of Black Journalists task forces.
During her time as publisher and executive director at The Chestnut Hill Local in Philadelphia, Lyons was responsible for rapid successes in revenue generation, strategic planning and stakeholder engagement.
“We’re at a critical inflection point where journalism is more vital, and more fragile, than ever. People trust local news because they can verify its content and see its impact. But they don’t always think to pick up their checkbooks and support it. I want to change that. I want every resident of Bucks County to know about the Beacon and to see the value in its content,” Lyons said.
Long-range planning and financial stewardship are among Lyons’ strengths, demonstrated during her time at The Chestnut Hill Local through the oversight and management of a $1.3 million operating budget; for which she spearheaded sales and contributed income initiatives.
“The Beacon has made a tremendous impact. More people should know about it, and it should be able to do more. My priority is to find as many ways as possible to get from where we are to realizing the powerful vision of our owner and publisher,” Lyons said.
Additionally, while at the Local Lyons launched community-centered initiatives like Idea Labs and a monthly radio show. She has enhanced civic partnerships and increased their organizational visibility.
The Chestnut Hill Local under Lyons’ leadership as executive director won 18 Keystone Press Awards, an initiative of the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association, and a News Organization of the Year Award, which recognizes excellence in newsroom leadership and local reporting impact.
As a Philadelphia-based thought leader, author and business leader, Lyons founded a nationally recognized consulting business rooted in narrative transformation, equity education and cultural strategy. She produced three award-winning podcasts—“Demystifying Diversity,” “On Being Biracial” and “Transformational Storyteller” available across diverse platforms.
Lyons built and sustained a digital audience of over 25,000 from the ground up by creating and curating compelling original content, email campaigns and community-centered storytelling.
While growing her business, Lyons conducted hundreds of interviews and been a longtime contributor to regional and national media organizations including: WHYY, WURD, Broad Street Review and The Philadelphia Citizen. She is an active member of the Philadelphia Journalism Collaborative and served as one of four members of its transition committee.
Lyons was a recipient of a 2023 Pennsylvania Impact Award, being recognized among that year’s “75 most impactful individuals in the state.”
With the silent Bethlehem Steel Corporation blast furnaces as a backdrop, Lyons was a TEDx speaker, offering her unique lens into individual identity with personal anecdotes from her own biracial – “half black, half white” lineage and experiences.
“I’m excited to join Emily, Cyril [Mychalejko] and the rest of the team in up-leveling the organization and making our work more sustainable,” Lyons said.
