Top editors pick new dept. heads
By Jeff Baltruzak
London Correspondent
The Observer has rehired staff members Lauren Beck, C. Spencer Beggs and Katie McKenna to lead the Viewpoint, Scene and Graphic departments, the paper's top editors for 2002-03 announced Thursday.
Incoming Editor in Chief Jason McFarley, Managing Editor Kate Nagengast and Assistant Managing Editor Andrew Soukup also announced selections for four other Editorial Board positions:
— Sheila Egts, Saint Mary's Editor
— Chris Federico, Sports Editor
— Helena Payne, News Editor
— Nellie Williams, Photo Editor
Amanda Greco was named to the newly created position of Development Editor.
The appointments are effective March 18.
"Each person we've selected brings so much talent and experience to their respective positions," said Nagengast, who as Managing Editor has immediate supervision over the editorial staff. "The staff we've assembled will surely build upon the strong tradition of excellence that the paper has established and find new and creative ways to enhance the product we put out each day."
Beck, the current Associate Viewpoint Editor, will reclaim the Viewpoint Editor title she held last fall.
A sophomore government major with a concentration in the Gallivan Program in Journalism, Ethics and Democracy, Beck joined The Observer staff in the fall of 2000. The St. Louis native and Howard Hall resident has been a Viewpoint copy editor and a news writer.
Fellow sophomore Beggs will retain his position as Scene Editor.
A Program of Liberal Studies major from Yellow Springs, Ohio, Beggs began work at the paper as a theatre critic when he was a freshman. The Fisher Hall resident, who was first hired as Scene Editor in September, has also been a Scene copy editor, Assistant Scene Editor and Associate Scene Editor.
McKenna, who temporarily vacated her position as Graphics Editor while studying abroad in Toledo, Spain, this semester, will reassume the post in the fall.
She is a Notre Dame junior government major who lives in Pangborn Hall. McKenna, of East Amherst, N.Y., joined the Graphics staff as a sophomore and was the department's editor last semester.
In McKenna's absence, current Graphics Editor Andy Devoto will remain in the position for the rest of the semester.
Egts, who has been hired as Saint Mary's Editor, is the lone freshman on the Editorial Board.
A Fort Wayne, Ind., native, Egts has worked for The Observer since last semester. The McCandless Hall resident has been a Wire Editor for the News Department and is currently a News copy editor.
Federico, now an Assistant Sports Editor, was appointed Sports Editor.
He is a sophomore science-business major originally from New Orleans and who now lives in Pass Christian, Miss. A Knott Hall resident, Federico has covered interhall football, men's soccer, hockey and baseball since he began working for the paper in fall of 2000.
Payne is currently an Assistant News Editor and will take over next month as News Editor.
A Notre Dame junior who lives in McGlinn Hall, she is an American studies major with a minor in Latin American studies. She has been a News wire editor and copy editor since joining The Observer staff as a freshman.
Payne's hometown is Reston, Va., but she lived in Ohio for several years. She studied abroad last spring in Santiago, Chile. This summer, she will work for the Associated Press in New York as a business reporting intern.
Williams, a Saint Mary's junior, was hired as Photo Editor after serving as Saint Mary's Photo Editor this year.
She lives in Holy Cross Hall and is an English writing and literature major with a minor in photography. Williams, of Murray, Ky., has been a news and sports writer and general assignment photographer since she joined the staff in fall of 1999.
She studied abroad for two semesters in Ireland as a sophomore. This semester she is a photography intern at the South Bend Tribune.
McFarley, Nagengast and Soukup have appointed Greco to the new Development Editor position to coordinate staff recruitment and training in the paper's seven editorial departments.
Greco, currently a part-time Holy Cross College student, has gained experience in several of the departments since she began work at The Observer in 1999. The Schaumburg, Ill., native is now an Associate Scene Editor. She has been Scene Editor, Assistant Viewpoint Editor, staff photographer, photo laboratory technician and news writer.
All News Stories for Friday, February 22, 2002
