Michael Dashiell is the new editor of the Sequim Gazette, newspaper managers announced this week.

Dashiell, 34, is a graduate of Western Washington University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in journalism degree in 2001.

Dashiell began at the Gazette as an intern that year and was promoted to sports editor in 2002.

"It gives me great pleasure to offer the editorship of the Sequim Gazette to Mike Dashiell," said Brown Maloney, owner of the newspaper's parent company, Olympic View Publishing.

"Mike has consistently proven himself to be a dedicated and committed member of the Gazette staff. He has thrown himself into most every area of local news and Mike is ready to lead what may be the best news staff I have had during my ownership of the Gazette.

"I am convinced both the community and the Gazette will benefit from his leadership," Maloney added.

Though he was born into a U.S. Navy family and grew up in several cities across the country, Dashiell has close ties to the area; his grandfather and grandmother, Merrill Glenn Oakes and Helen Roberta Oakes, both now deceased, were longtime residents of Port Angeles. Most of his family resides in Washington state.

Dashiell lives in Sequim with his wife, Patsene. He has two stepdaughters, Chelsea and Hallie Twiss, who are both attending college.

"I appreciate the opportunity to help lead this organization," Dashiell said. "This is an exciting time for journalists, with the growth of the web, social media and other advances in technology - but we need to be vigilant as ever in our reporting. Hopefully, we at the Sequim Gazette can continue to bring quality community journalism to our readers."

Dashiell has won numerous regional awards for news writing and sports writing, photography, editing and blogging. He was named Washington Newspaper Publisher's Sportswriter of the Year in 2006 and 2008.

He attends Sequim Community Church, where he plays in the worship band. Other interests include volleyball, running and hiking.