Matt will have responsibility for lines of coverage including criminal justice and breaking news, while Maria, a creative, sharp and unflappable leader, will oversee local politics and local education, among other coverage areas. Both will also shepherd key strategic initiatives in the department in partnership with me, which we will detail in coming weeks.

He returned to Metro two years ago as an editor, a role in which he has led some of the desk’s most important and impactful work – including Emily Davies’ and Peter Hermann’s relentless coverage of rising homicides and Justin Jouvenal and Hannah Natanson’s investigation of failings that led to a six-year-old shooting his teacher at a Virginia elementary school. He is particularly proud of the work that held local leaders to account, like Emily’s deep-dive on a city program that purported to help at-risk people but was marred by missteps.