NEW YORK (AP) — Christina Paciolla, a highly respected editor with a track record of developing talent and driving coverage of major stories, has been appointed The Associated Press’ news editor for Pennsylvania, Ohio and New Jersey.
A lifelong resident of the Philadelphia area, Paciolla will be based there and oversee the AP’s all-formats team of journalists dedicated to covering the compelling politics, rich communities and changing ways of life in the three-state region.
The announcement was made Tuesday by Sara Gillesby, news director for the Eastern United States.
“Christina has proven herself to be a leader in the newsroom and brings fresh energy to the role of news editor,” Gillesby said. “Her speed during breaking news, combined with her extensive knowledge of the region and passion for editing, make her the perfect candidate for this job.”
Paciolla has covered the Philadelphia market and the broader East region for her entire career. Prior to joining the AP as an editor on the East regional desk in 2015, she worked as Philadelphia city editor for Metro US, overseeing a team of reporters and freelance writers and photographers while also covering major stories herself. Before her stint at Metro, Paciolla worked as a reporter and editor at various local news outlets in the Philadelphia metro area, covering state politics and other issues.
Earlier this year, Paciolla was selected as one of the AP’s first top stories fellows, a mentoring program for some of the company’s top text editors. She also took a leading role in training colleagues on the regional publishing hub in New York and selected, trained and oversaw the hub’s intern.
Paciolla has a bachelor’s degree from Rowan University, where she also taught as an adjunct professor.