S-R announces new senior editor

Wed., Jan. 11, 2006

From staff reports

Spokane native Carla Savalli was named senior editor for local news at The Spokesman-Review on Tuesday.

Savalli, 41, who has been the newspaper’s city editor overseeing its local daily news coverage since December 2003, will take on added responsibilities for local business and features reporters and editors. She will be responsible for the long-term strategy for the reporting staffs outside of the Sports Department and 7, the newspaper’s weekend arts and entertainment publication.

“My job will be to promote local news, everywhere, for everyone,” she said.

A graduate of Pacific Lutheran University, Savalli joined The Spokesman-Review in 1992 as a copy editor after working for the Tacoma News Tribune, the Moscow-Pullman Daily News and the Las Vegas Sun. She served as the night assistant city editor for three years and business editor for three years.

Editor Steven A. Smith described Savalli as organized, decisive and aggressive.

“She is committed to public service journalism,” Smith said. “I know she’ll bring all of those qualities to bear as she assumes a larger role in our newsroom, managing local content from features and business as well as the city desk.”

While Savalli will concentrate on the “big picture” for local news reporters, Dan Hansen was promoted to deputy city editor to have more responsibility for overseeing daily and weekend coverage.

Hansen, 44, has worked at The Spokesman-Review since 1987. He served as the night city editor for more than two years and before that worked as a reporter in the newspaper’s downtown and Valley offices.

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