Announcement from Creative Director Greg Manifold and Deputy Design Director Brian Gross:

The Design department is excited to announce that Audrey Valbuena is becoming a full-time designer.

Audrey started in the newsroom as a Northwestern University residency student in 2019 and returned at the start of this year as a contractor. She’s a quick study who has rapidly expanded her skillset in various aspects of the role including art direction. She has impressed us with her thoughtfulness, creativity and calm under pressure. Her digital design work has included stories on survivors of the Beirut explosion, the science behind a secret coronavirus outbreak in Iowa , and the aftermath of reparations for the Rosewood massacre survivors.

Audrey grew up in Southern California and graduated from Northwestern with a degree in journalism/design and international studies. Since the pandemic began, she has used hiking to learn about the Washington area. She enjoys sketching, reading about food history and spending time with her cat, Luna.

Please join us in congratulating Audrey.