Simone Sebastian joins The Baltimore Banner as deputy editor
The Baltimore Banner named Simone Sebastian as deputy editor, expanding, states a citybiz post, “its editorial leadership team with an experienced newsroom executive as the nonprofit news organization continues to invest in enterprise and local reporting.
“Sebastian, who brings 25 years of journalism experience, will oversee much of the newsroom’s daily and investigative coverage. Her responsibilities will include leadership of the business, politics, education, Baltimore County, public safety and health teams, as well as the publication’s newly established narrative, projects and data hub.
“The appointment strengthens The Banner’s editorial bench as nonprofit local news organizations continue to expand coverage in markets where traditional newsroom resources have declined. Since its launch, The Banner has positioned itself as a major source of Maryland news through a combination of accountability reporting, enterprise journalism and community-focused coverage.”
“We searched the country to find someone of Simone’s talent,” Editor in Chief Audrey Cooper said. “We wanted an exceptional journalist who would challenge us to think bigger, raise the bar for both our daily report and our most ambitious enterprise, and help us produce journalism that deeply resonates with Marylanders. In Simone, we found all of that and more.”
Sebastian most recently served as a Knight-Wallace Fellow at the University of Michigan. Before that, she was the founding editorial director of Capital B, where she helped build the nonprofit news organization’s editorial operation with a focus on reporting issues affecting Black communities. During her tenure, Capital B produced reporting on voting rights, environmental justice, immigration, criminal justice and healthcare disparities, earning the National Association of Black Journalists’ Best Practices Award in 2024.
Earlier, Sebastian managed The Washington Post’s America Desk during coverage of major national stories, including mass shootings, natural disasters and nationwide protests. In 2019, the desk was named a Pulitzer Prize finalist for its reporting on the Dayton and El Paso mass shootings. She also co-edited George Floyd’s America, a six-part investigative series that received a George Polk Award.
