Baltimore Banner names Audrey Cooper Editor-in-Chief

The Baltimore Banner, a nonprofit, multi-platform, Pulitzer Prize-winning news operation serving Greater Baltimore, Montgomery County, and Maryland, announced that Audrey Cooper will be its new Editor-in-Chief.

Cooper joins The Banner from New York Public Radio, where she serves as Editor-in-Chief and Senior Vice President of News. She previously led the newsroom at The San Francisco Chronicle, where she was Executive Editor for nearly six years.

“I am thrilled that Audrey has agreed to join us as Editor-in-Chief,” said Banner CEO Bob Cohn. “She is an energetic leader who is passionate about local journalism and has done transformative work at two major newsrooms. Following an exhaustive national search, I am confident she is the right person to lead The Banner through its next phase of growth as we bring trusted, independent journalism to more communities in Maryland.”

Cooper will relocate to Baltimore and begin her new role on Oct. 13. At New York Public Radio, she oversaw the content of several brands, including WNYC, on-demand podcasts and the news website Gothamist. She grew digital audiences and transformed the newsroom to prioritize distinctive coverage as well as investigative reporting. Under Cooper, the newsroom was named a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in 2025, for the first time in its history.

Additionally, Cooper spearheaded and helped to launch numerous modern, digital products at New York Public Radio, including a thrice-daily news podcast, a redesigned website, new radio shows, newsletters and an app.

At The San Francisco Chronicle, Cooper helped turn the 200-person newsroom into a highly profitable, award-winning media innovator. She reversed declining paid-readership trends by implementing strategic engagement strategies, achieving growth rates of up to 300% year-over-year across multiple platforms and multiplying paid digital readership.

“I look forward to taking this next step in my career and leading a young, growing, Pulitzer Prize-winning newsroom,” said Cooper. “The Banner has a strong reputation for compelling storytelling, and I’m honored to work with its talented team of journalists to continue amplifying diverse voices, uncovering important stories, and delivering the powerful journalism its readers have come to expect.”