Sara April — sara@dirksvanessen.com
Sara joined DV&A in 2006 after training as a journalist and building experience in magazine publishing with roles at The New Republic in Washington, D.C. and HomeWorks Media Group in Boston. She became a partner in 2018 and was named president in 2024. Sara is a graduate of George Washington University’s School of Media and Public Affairs, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism, graduating cum laude in 2000. Sara grew up in Massachusetts helping run her family’s sheet-fed printing business—an early introduction to the publishing industry that continues to shape her work today.

Owen Van Essen — owen@dirksvanessen.com
Owen joined the firm in 1986 after several years as a newspaper executive. He was general manager/business manager, as well as 25 percent owner, of the Worthington (MN) Daily Globe before the sale of the paper in 1986. The Minnesota native received a B.A. in business administration from Dordt College in 1976 and has done advanced work in business and journalism at the University of Minnesota.

Kelli Bultena — kelli@dirksvanessen.com
Kelli joined the firm in 2024 after a 25-year career in the newspaper industry. As co-owner and publisher of two weekly newspapers, including one founded in 2010, Kelli held various roles throughout her career, from advertising manager to reporter and editor, before selling the publications in 2022. She served as president of the South Dakota News Media Association from 2017 to 2018.  She holds an A.S. in Graphic Communications and a B.S. in Management of Human Resources.