Sara Just, senior Washington producer for Good Morning America, deputy Washington bureau chief for ABC News, and a multi-award winner for Nightline in a 17-year stint, is leaving to become executive producer of PBS NewsHour and SVP of noncommercial WETA Washington, which took over production of the show this month.
Just, who has spent over 25 years with ABC News, will report to Rick Schneider, president of NewHour Productions and CEO of WETA. She comes aboard Sept. 2.
Just succeeds Linda Winslow, who is retiring after almost a decade as executive producer.
"Under Sara's dynamic leadership, PBS NewsHour will reach new heights of excellence as we report the news each day, on the air and online, with the high standards the public expects and deserves," said WETA President Sharon Rockefeller.
"Sara spent nearly two decades at Nightline, working closely with Ted Koppel and covering a wide range of news stories, from 9/11 to Hurricane Katrina to the OJ Simpson trial," said ABC News President James Goldston in a memo to staffers. "Her outstanding work was recognized with nine Emmys, two duPonts, two Peabodys and an RFK Journalism award.
"Sara was also integral to the innovation of our digital political coverage," Goldston also said. "While working as senior producer at Digital, she managed ABC News' online political content through two election cycles and oversaw launch of ABC/Yahoo! News' "Power Players" series."
