A New Assistant Editor for Metro

New York City is home to the largest school system in the country, and students from around the world pursue their higher education in the metro region's community colleges, public and elite private schools.

We are excited to announce that Carrie Melago, a journalist with a deep knowledge of the New York City public school system, will join Metro as an assistant editor. While Carrie will edit stories about K-12 schools and higher education, she will oversee other beats, like religion and infrastructure. She understands the energy and engines that keep the New York region running: She began her career as a reporter at The New Haven Register before becoming a street reporter for The New York Daily News. In classic New York City media fashion, she worked in "the shack" in One Police Plaza.

At The Daily News, she moved from reporting to editing, and then left to join The Wall Street Journal's Greater New York section, where she first focused on breaking news throughout the region. In 2018, she began editing at Chalkbeat, the national education news outlet, where she oversaw the New York City bureau as well as coverage in three other states. Most recently, she was acting deputy editor at Documented, the nonprofit news outlet covering New York City immigration news.

Throughout her career, Carrie has helped to elevate her reporters' work, which has appeared on "This American Life" and in other national publications. Reporters have won New York Press Club, Deadline Club, New York Newswomen, Silurians, Education Writers Association and other local awards.

"I had the honor of helping hire Carrie at The Daily News, a chaotic place where her skills and poise stood out, even when she was just starting out as a reporter," said Dean Chang. "It's no surprise that she quickly found success as an editor, at The News, The Journal and then at Chalkbeat. She's just a pleasure to work with, a collegial journalist who works to bring out the best in whatever she touches."

Carrie is a graduate of the University of Maryland and Columbia University. She notes that she is "a knitter and crocheter in her spare time." And in some of that spare time, she has written the occasional personal essay about her family and Jo-Ann Fabrics .

- Nikita Stewart, Steve Smith, Dean Chang and Andrés R. Martínez