• by Sara Guaglione , June 20, 2018

Los Angeles Times has named Kris Viesselman, former senior vice president-editor-in-chief of DC-based CQ and Roll Call, its Chief Transformation Editor, a new position.

Viesselman will report to executive editor Norman Pearlstine, who was appointed Monday.

“Kris will have major responsibility for charting our future, building digital, video and other products that will be distributed across multiple platforms for the benefit of new and existing audiences,” Pearlstine stated.

Viesselman will work to develop “systems and synergies” between the Los Angeles Times, The San Diego Union-Tribune and other publications in the California News Group.

Viesselman is no stranger to the California titles.

She previously worked at the Los Angeles Times, the Orange County Register and The San Diego Union-Tribune, as managing editor and vice president of product. She has also worked at The Sacramento Bee and the San Jose Mercury News.

Viesselman also served as Chief Creative Officer at CQ and Roll Call, overseeing 100 people covering Congress, as well as reader research and UX design efforts across all the titles' products.

The California News Group was recently purchased by Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong, through NantCapital, his personal investment company, from Tronc.

Soon-Shiong serves as executive chairman of the California News Group. Jeff Light remains editor-in-chief and publisher of The San Diego Union-Tribune.