Metro editor will direct University News Office

The University has appointed veteran journalist Steven Kloehn of the Chicago Tribune as director of its News Office, the department primarily responsible for communicating the University’s mission and activities to the public. Kloehn’s appointment is effective Tuesday, May 27.

“Steve brings to the University a valuable perspective based on more than two decades of journalistic experience as a newspaper columnist, commentator on national and local news programs, reporter, editor and multimedia innovator for one of the nation’s largest daily news organizations,” said Julie Peterson, Vice President for Communications.

“He will serve as the primary university spokesman on matters of public interest and provide authoritative communications advice to senior administrators, faculty members and students in a rapidly evolving news media environment,” Peterson said.

Said Kloehn, “The fundamental changes sweeping through the media right now offer fascinating new opportunities to reach people. But the heart of it is still storytelling, and the University of Chicago is one amazing story after another. I’m delighted to get the opportunity to immerse myself in those stories and join this outstanding institution.”

As a deputy metro editor at the Chicago Tribune since 2006, Kloehn supervises local and state news for Sunday editions and shares daily responsibility for the work of more than 85 reporters and editors assigned to the metro desk. His duties also include direct responsibility for coverage of higher education, K-12 education, child welfare and neighborhoods, among other beats.

Kloehn served as an associate metro editor of the Chicago Tribune from 2000 to 2006. Starting as the Northwest Bureau chief in 2000, he managed more than a dozen editors and reporters. During this period, Kloehn also founded teams of education and urban affairs reporters to provide strategic coverage of issues such as No Child Left Behind and immigration, housing and welfare.

He also led a team of reporters, designers, programmers and editors in producing a CD-ROM, “Be not afraid: The epic papacy of John Paul II,” which was named a 2005 notable entry in the Batten Awards for Innovations in Journalism.

From 1996 to 2000, Kloehn was the Tribune’s religion writer, covering the papacy of John Paul II, religion in American politics, the growth of Islam and other matters of faith.

Kloehn received his B.A. in English, with high honors, from Princeton University in 1987. He began his journalism career as editor of the weekly Bar Harbor Times in Maine in 1987.

He moved to the Bangor Daily News in 1989 as a general assignment reporter, then quickly moved up the ranks as a features writer, projects writer and columnist. Kloehn continued writing columns at the Lowell Sun in Massachusetts from 1994 until 1996.