For more than six years Christopher Mele has overfilled the job of weekend editor on the Express team. Now we're giving him a title to match his impact as the dynamo behind so many major breaking news stories at The Times. Effective immediately, Chris will be promoted to deputy editor in charge of the team's weekend coverage, as we continue to add reporting firepower to fill gaps in coverage and assist other weekend teams around the global newsroom.

As many of you know, Chris works a daunting schedule through the weekend, and has played a role coordinating, editing, reporting and writing many of the major stories that broke on weekends in the past few years: the unexpected death of Matthew Perry, the "Friends" star, which became one of the most-read obituaries of all time; the hate crime case of a landlord who fatally stabbed a 6-year-old Muslim boy; the Buffalo supermarket mass murder in 2022; the deaths of 19 people in a Bronx apartment fire earlier that year (a Pulitzer finalist); and countless other mass shootings, extreme weather events and obituaries. He also has an eye for the quirky, strange stories that the internet audience loves.

He works generously across department lines, and I know that if another desk is looking for weekend help on a big story, I can put people at ease with a single phrase: Mele's on duty.

"Chris has been a trusted partner on the weekends," Randy Archibold said. "He's a problem-solver and troubleshooter and even in the most harried situations maintains a calm, professional demeanor."

Chris is also an excellent wordsmith when it comes to editing copy for clarity and rhythm and a fine headline writer. He's also an excellent mentor to reporting fellows, early career reporters and editors, and the many embeds who pass through our desk, patiently teaching them the ins and outs of breaking news reporting and writing. I am grateful and delighted he has agreed to join us in helping to manage this growing team.