Leader names new city editor, M.E.

Tim Willert, an award-winning writer and reporter, has been named

city editor of the Burbank Leader. Willert began work in his new

position Monday.

He succeeds Amber Willard, who was promoted to city editor of the

Leader’s sister paper, the News-Press in Glendale.

Willert, 42, started at the News-Press in March 2000, and was the

paper’s education reporter, business and politics reporter, City Hall

reporter and, most recently, enterprise reporter. He also covered

City Hall for the Foothill Leader and briefly covered crime for the

Burbank Leader.

He studied journalism at San Diego State University, has won the

News-Press/Leader Silver Scoop award, and was a finalist for 2002

Times Community News (TCN) Journalist of the Year.

“I’m very pleased and excited to have Tim leading the way at the

Leader,” said Jeff Keating, editor of the Leader and the News-Press.

“He brings a wealth of experience to the job, as well strong news

judgment and a real knack for figuring out how to get the stories

that matter to readers.”

Willard, 25, succeeds David Silva as city editor of the

News-Press. She started at the Burbank Leader in January 2000 as

public-safety reporter, and became public safety reporter for the

News-Press in June 2000, staying there until December 2001, when she

became the Leader’s city editor. She is a graduate of Truman State

University in Kirksville, Mo., with a bachelor’s degree in

communication/journalism.

Silva, a longtime News-Press editor and columnist and former

Leader city editor, has been promoted to editor of Times Community

News’ new weekly newspapers in Claremont/Upland and Rancho Cucamonga.

The promotions for Willert and Willard were part of several

personnel moves made last week at the Leader and the News-Press. The

others:

* Brian Martin, 35, is the new managing editor of both papers,

reporting to Editor Jeff Keating. Martin was hired as a sports writer

for the Foothill Leader in July 1994. He has served as sports writer,

assistant sports editor, sports editor and news editor for the

News-Press and Leader, and since June 2001 has been the news desk

chief for both papers.

A Crescenta Valley High School graduate, Martin holds a bachelor’s

degree in journalism from Cal State Northridge, was a staff member of

sports departments that won CNPA awards for coverage, and has won two

headline writing awards in TCN contests. He will oversee the

day-to-day operations of both newspapers.

* Scott Roby, 30, is the new photo supervisor for the News-Press

and Leader, succeeding Jill Karnicki, who left to pursue a master’s

degree in photography. Roby started at the News-Press in October 2000

as a staff photographer. He is a graduate of Hart High in Newhall and

of the Naval Nuclear Power School and Nuclear Power Prototype

Training Unit, and is attending College of the Canyons in Santa

Clarita, working on a bachelor’s degree in zoology.

He has won the News-Press/Leader Silver Scoop award and a TCN

photo contest.