Last week marked a special Monitor moment as the staff came together to express appreciation for our departing managing editor, Amelia Newcomb. From war correspondents to junior staffers, many spoke movingly about the impact Amelia has had on them – and on Monitor journalism. After 30 years at the paper, in posts ranging from education editor to international news editor, she will retire in May.

This week we welcome a new managing editor, Kurt Shillinger. In college, Kurt inquired about interning at the Monitor’s San Francisco bureau, but was told there were no internships. So he went and visited the bureau in person. Same answer. He started following up by phone every week. Finally, the bureau chief relented.

Since then, Kurt has covered U.S. political campaigns, Congress, and the African continent. Throughout his career he’s done reporting and research from nearly 50 countries – and earned a Pulitzer nomination. In addition to his deep experience, he brings a relentless commitment to excellence and to the Monitor’s mission.