Editorial Trust
Persona & Byline Policy
How and why Today in Public Health uses recurring editorial pen-name personas.
What our bylines are
Most stories are published under recurring editorial pen-name personas — such as The Investigator, The Explainer, The Human Storyteller, The Futures Correspondent, and The Public Health Menace. Each persona represents a consistent kind of coverage, not a real individual.
They are not real people
These personas are not employees, freelancers, or real individuals. We do not invent biographies, credentials, degrees, employment histories, lived experiences, or photographs for them, and none should be inferred. Persona profiles use a neutral monogram, never a photorealistic headshot.
Real people are accountable
Every piece published under a persona byline is researched, written, and edited by real people who are accountable to these editorial standards. The founder, Elijah St. John, is a real person and is identified as such.
Why we use them
Personas let a small newsroom maintain a consistent editorial voice for each kind of coverage as it grows. As named human contributors join, they will be identified by their real names. You can see every byline on our Authors page.
This page is an initial draft. Final legal and editorial copy is subject to review.