Carrie "Mudfoot" Stambaugh
Editor, Writer and Photographer


Carrie began working as a freelance writer and photographer in September 2010, after resigning from her full-time position as a newspaper reporter to travel and spend more time with her family.

In June 2011, she became a partner and the managing editor of KentuckyAngling.com an online outdoor news magazine and forum site based in northeast Kentucky. In October 2011, she began working part time as a reporter for the Ironton Tribune.

Carrie's work has also been recently published in numerous newspapers and print magazines including:
The Greater Ashland Beacon, The Independent, Ironton Tribune, Greenup County News-Times, Huntington Quarterly, Back Home in Kentucky, Kentucky Farm Bureau News, Bridges and Blue Ridge Country.

The Kentucky Outdoor Press Association and Southeastern Outdoor Press Association have also published her writing and photography in their member newsletters.

Before becoming a freelance journalist, Carrie spent five years as a staff reporter with The Independent in Ashland, Ky. She primarily covered local governments including: Boyd County Fiscal Court, Ashland City Commission, and Catlettsburg City Council. She also wrote about community issues and events, covered crimes and breaking news, business, legislation and other local trends. Her bi-monthly column covered a variety of topics, from national politics to her personal adventures.
Carrie also authored a number of investigative series on local health, infrastructure projects, government corruption, crime, and environmental issues while at The Independent, many of which received recognition. 
 
Carrie is deeply committed to using the Freedom of Information Act and
Kentucky Open Meetings and Open Records laws to shine light on the inner workings of government and other public entities.
She has often been asked to speak to her peers about her experiences using this legislation to obtain public information.
Her reputation for asking government officials and those seeking public office tough questions has earned her invitations to serve as a panelist for numerous debates between candidates seeking local, state and national offices. She has appeared on televised debates hosted by KET and WSAZ.  In 2008, Carrie proposed and helped to organize a series of debates for candidates seeking election within the City of Catlettsburg.

Carrie has received a number of of Excellence in Kentucky Newspapers Awards given by the Kentucky Press Association.

Awards include:
  • 2010: First Place Best Investigative Story or Series
  • 2010: First Place Best Enterprise or Analytical Story
  • 2009: Honorable Mention Best Investigative Story or Series
  • 2008: Third Place Best Enterprise or Analytical Story
  • 2008: Third Place Best Spot News Story
  • 2006: Third Place Best Investigative Story or Series

Carrie also reported for The Appalachian News-Express in Pikeville, Ky. and The Athens News in Athens, Ohio.
She is a graduate of Ohio University's prestigious E.W. Scripps School of Journalism, earning a Bachelor's degree in Journalism as well as a minor in political science and a certificate in political communications. Carrie has plans to seek a master's in journalism.

A Cincinnati, Ohio, native Carrie first moved to eastern Kentucky in 2005. She quickly fell in love with its mountains and people. In 2008, she married Ashland native Carl Stambaugh. Carl is an engineer with the Ashland Fire Department, where he serves as Vice President of the International Firefighters Association Local 706.
Carl is a partner in Rescue Pro, a confined space rescue company.

  In 2010, the couple hiked more than 1,400 miles of the Appalachian Trail, from Georgia to New York.
Carrie's trail name is Mudfoot because she always has muddy feet after a day of hiking!

Carrie is engaged in a variety of community activities and initiatives. She is a member of the Ashland Alliance Young Professionals Association and The Kentucky Outdoor Press Association, a volunteer Big Sister with Big Brother's Big Sisters of the Tri-State and is serving a four year term on the Ashland Tree Board. Carrie is also a member of the Summer Motion Committee, which organizes Ashland's five-day Independence Day festival. She is secretary of the Sheltowee Trace Association Board of Directors, for whom she also does public affairs and outreach and is a member of the Jenny Wiley Trail Conference.
Carrie is also founding member of the Ashland Fire Department IAFF Local 706 Auxiliary.