By JOE BEACH

Capital Press

Hannah Brause has been named audience development specialist at the Capital Press.

In her new position Brause will be responsible for expanding the Capital Press audience across its print, online and broadcast platforms.

Mike O'Brien, the paper's publisher, said her major priorities will include engaging young people and promoting the Capital Press brand. In that role she will be responsible for the paper's Newspaper in Education program, which each week places copies of the publication in high school agriculture classrooms in Oregon, Washington, Idaho and California.

Brause is also charged with working with educators to develop teaching aids and strategies that will make the Capital Press more useful in the classroom.

"We are very excited about this new position and know Hannah will make a strong contribution in growing audience for all Capital Press media products including print, web, radio and whatever platforms we may develop in the future," he said. "Her enthusiasm, creativity and connection to ag will be a great addition to the Capital Press team."

A large part of her job will be to interact with farmers, ranchers and agribusiness professionals through social media and in person at industry events throughout the Capital Press circulation area. She will be involved -- in conjunction with the news, advertising and circulation departments -- in creating new products to meet the needs of the Northwest agriculture community.

"I have always loved reading the Capital Press and have benefited from the outstanding content," Brause said. "I'm excited to be a part of a team working to provide such an important service to our regions agriculturalists. This position will allow me to continue to work to educate others about agriculture and to work closely with those in the food, fiber, and natural resource industries."

Since 2007 she has served as an agriculture teacher and FFA adviser at Astoria High School.

In 2010 Brause was awarded the Teacher Turn the Key award by the Oregon Ag Teachers Association.

She previously taught agriculture at Rainer Junior/Senior High School in Rainier, Ore., and Mt. View High School in Bend, Ore.

Brause is a graduate of Oregon State University, where in 2005 she earned a bachelor's degree in animal science, and in 2006 a master's degree in agricultural education.

She begins her new duties July 1.