Elizabeth Talaga, The Post’s current copy chief, was selected as editor-in-chief for the 2026-27 academic year Wednesday by the paper’s publishing board.
Talaga, a junior studying journalism, began her journey at The Post as a freshman, where she started as a reporter. In her sophomore year, Talaga received a paid position as a slot editor but remained reporting for numerous sections, including news and human interest.
Mark Turner, chair of The Post’s publishing board and an assistant professor of journalism, said the board was looking for a candidate who had a distinct vision for the paper's future.
“The things that she wanted to focus on were very detailed and very thorough, very specific ideas about what she wanted,” Turner said. “Elizabeth really painted a picture for a team-like approach to what The Post could be, so she often said, ‘we,’ and ‘this is how I think we could improve this area.’”
Current editor-in-chief Jackson McCoy has worked with Talaga for years, also preceding her as The Post’s copy chief. McCoy said he is confident Talaga will do a great job and take The Post into exciting new directions.
“I just think that she is very smart and very funny and is very, very capable of leading a publication,” McCoy said. “I like to believe that she will have her own way of doing it, too. She won't just continue the status quo. She has a lot of really great ideas that I think will improve the publication greatly.”
Talaga said her relationship with McCoy has been greatly influential in her experience and journey in The Post.
“Even before I got here, just as a slot editor working under him, I think his work ethic is so admirable,” Talaga said. “He’ll really take you under his wing, as a friend and also as a colleague, and that's something that's definitely been really impactful for me.”
Talaga said she understands the difficulties that come with the current state of journalism. She reaffirmed The Post’s unique position as a completely independent entity, and she is focused on not backing down and keeping focus on what The Post is and what it does for the community.
“It truly is such an honor,” Talaga said. “The Post has such a rich history, and even this year, to say that I am the copy chief like that was such an honor to me, and editor-in-chief is just such a big scale. I'm so honored to be trusted with this position.”
