The New York Times has promoted Adam Kepler to director, newsroom operations. 

Kepler, who has served at the Times for 18 years, will oversee the news assistant staff and the Times’ contest operation. 

Tahirah Burley and Stephanie Russell, deputy directors who each manage part of the news assistant team, will now report to Kepler.

Kepler will work closely with Steven McElroy, executive director of newsroom operations at the Times, on big-picture projects and play a key role in hiring and staffing. 

“News assistants play a crucial role supporting our journalism across desks around the newsroom,” McElroy writes. “As a leader of the team and a former news assistant himself, Adam has proven himself to be empathetic, diligent and responsive, and an adept manager who has supported news assistants in setting ambitious goals, contributing in impactful ways and finding stretch opportunities. He will continue to manage some news assistants directly.”