The Banner announces news staff for Prince George’s County edition
The Banner, based in Baltimore with recent expansions in Montgomery County, Prince George’s County and Pittsburgh, has selected a team of journalists who will cover Prince George’s County. The announcement was made by Zuri Berry, executive editor for The Banner in Montgomery and Prince George’s counties.
“For the past couple of months, I’ve had the privilege of assembling a team of award-winning journalists to help cover local government, education, health, children and families, food and culture,” Berry wrote. “The team will cover the county with all of the care, rigor and resolve that Prince George’s County deserves.”
Mitch Ryals, in main photo, has been hired as Prince George’s County editor. He will join from Washington City Paper, where he was managing editor since 2021. He was hired in 2018 as City Paper’s Loose Lips reporter. In 2023, he launched City Paper’s Inside Voices column that highlights the perspectives and writings of incarcerated people and returned citizens. Before City Paper, he covered law enforcement and criminal justice at the Pacific Northwest Inlander in Spokane, Washington. He will join The Banner on May 26.
Other Prince George’s news staff hires include:
Hau Chu, food, arts and culture reporter. Before The Banner, he spent nine years at The Washington Post, primarily for the Local and Features/Style sections.
Ashley Clarke joins The Banner after working at ProPublica as an engagement reporter, contributing to investigative projects on health, scientific research, environmental issues, the federal workforce and education. Previously, she worked at Bloomberg Industry Group, the Center for Public Integrity and NBC4 in Washington.
Ben Conarck joined The Banner as a criminal justice reporter in July 2022. Previously, he worked for the Miami Herald as a health care reporter. He will cover local government.
Ellie Silverman worked at The Washington Post, where she covered protest movements and extremism. She also reported on retail, breaking news and general assignment stories at The Philadelphia Inquirer. She will cover education.
Main photo of Ryals via LinkedIn
