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Gennady Sheyner, who has served readers of Palo Alto Weekly and Palo Alto Online for nearly two decades, has announced that he is leaving the Peninsula to become the managing editor of The Ark, a community newspaper and website in Tiburon. His last day as editor of the Palo Alto news operation is Nov. 13.
Sheyner, 46, took over as the Palo Alto news editor in 2025 following an illustrious tenure as one of the most decorated writers in the company’s history. He began covering the City Hall beat in 2008 and has written thousands of stories detailing the Palo Alto process, police procedures, local elections and nearly every other aspect of life on the Midpeninsula.
Over the last two years his job has revolved around mentoring reporters and interns, and managing the news site’s 24-hour operations all while planning and proofreading the Weekly newspaper.
He is known around the newsroom as a generous team player and a quick wit. He keeps dozens of heard-in-the-newsroom quotes on Post-it notes stuck to the wall by his desk and is the life of any staff get-together.
“Of course, one of Gennady’s trademarks is his ever-present sense of humor. This is a valuable quality for a journalist,” said Jocelyn Dong who served as Sheyner’s editor for many years before leaving the parent Embarcadero Media Foundation herself in 2024. “Anyone who meets Gennady is instantly put at ease.”
Dong said Sheyner “embodied the mission of Embarcadero Media throughout his career” and noted he was always up for a challenge. She remembers him being the fastest writer she ever encountered and a dogged reporter.
Sheyner wrote extensively about the politics behind Palo Alto governance, including for a 2013 story about a ballot measure that grew out of what some characterized as a backroom deal among City Council members. The story took first place for Enterprise Reporting in the annual California News Publishers Association statewide contest. It was just one of many top prizes Sheyner took home over the years for stories ranging from allegations of improper professional conduct to a public pension crisis some considered a ticking time bomb.
In addition to his written work, Sheyner has been a key part of Embarcadero Media’s many journalistic initiatives. For example, he scheduled and moderated the City Council candidate forum this election cycle. Dong said she could always count on Sheyner to help with anything designed to better inform the people of Palo Alto.
“When we launched ‘Behind the Headlines,’ our weekly webcast, it was a huge undertaking. But with Gennady on the panel, I knew we could pull it off. I could count on him to ask informed questions of our guests while injecting a dose of wit — a combination that is harder than it sounds.”
“Gennady is among a handful of extraordinary long-term Weekly journalists who have helped readers, community leaders and city staff understand local issues and their history,” said Embarcadero Media and Palo Alto Weekly founder Bill Johnson.
Sheyner is famous in the newsroom as a tireless reporter. It was common to read stories that he posted online in the early morning hours after a long City Council meeting. His integrity was never questioned.
Former Embarcadero Media Foundation CEO Adam Dawes, who worked alongside Sheyner for several years, commended Sheyner’s depth of local knowledge.
“I don’t think there is another person alive who understands the issues, history and context of the municipality of Palo Alto better than Gennady,” he said.
Sheyner holds degrees from UCLA and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. Before coming to Palo Alto, he covered politics and breaking news for a newspaper in Waterbury, Conn. But the bulk of his career has been spent covering Palo Alto, which he said has been a privilege.
“Palo Alto is a very special community and I’m extremely grateful to all the readers, supporters, critics and sources who have challenged and inspired me over the years,” he said. “I’m particularly thankful to all my colleagues at the Weekly, who work hard every day to tell important stories, hold government officials accountable and ensure that residents remain informed about what’s happening in their community.”
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