Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service, the nonprofit newsroom housed in the Diederich College of Communication, has promoted veteran journalist and alumnus Edgar Mendez, Comm ’14, to managing editor following a national search.
Mendez, a Milwaukee native and one of the news service’s founding reporters, will guide the award-winning newsroom into its next chapter of community-driven journalism.
NNS was founded in March 2011 as part of the Zilber Family Foundation Neighborhood Initiative, a 10-year, $50 million effort started by Joseph Zilber, the late real estate tycoon, philanthropist and Marquette alumnus, to improve Milwaukee’s poor neighborhoods. Since then, NNS has provided professional reporting to Black and Latinx residents who have been ignored, underserved or inaccurately portrayed in other media outlets.
Mendez’s promotion marks a moment of growth as NNS expands its staff. Alex Klaus joins as an education reporter focused on accountability and solutions in Milwaukee’s K-12 schools, while Jonathan Aguilar, a bilingual multimedia journalist, brings reporting and photojournalism expertise to the team.
A resident of Milwaukee’s Clarke Square neighborhood, Mendez has long grounded his work in the needs of the community. “I’m beyond excited to lead NNS through its next chapter of growth, as we continue to build on a strong foundation of trust and respect in the community,” Mendez said. “Our focus is going to be guided by their needs as we map out our future.”
Ron Smith, executive director of NNS, said the newsroom’s national candidate search confirmed what Milwaukee already knew: Mendez’s leadership, track record and connection to the city make him uniquely suited for the role.
“It’s funny how the national search for managing editor led us to a local treasure who was already in our newsroom,” Smith said. “Edgar has been with us since our beginning and has built trust in our community through his rigorous, people-centric reporting. He’s not only a champion of great journalism, he’s also a champion of the great journalists who do the work.”
Mendez has built a career telling the stories of his Clarke Square neighborhood and beyond. His award-winning reporting has earned him a 2018 Regional Edward R. Murrow Award and multiple Milwaukee Press Club honors between 2015 and 2021. He has reported on critical community issues ranging from taverns and marijuana law enforcement to lead in water service lines and the opioid epidemic.
Mendez’s deep roots in Milwaukee and his reputation for editorial excellence align with NNS’s mission to elevate local voices and cover stories that matter to the people who live, work and serve in city neighborhoods. As part of Wisconsin Watch, NNS continues to expand its impact and rebuild local news in Milwaukee and across Wisconsin.
“We want to give Milwaukee the newsroom it deserves,” Smith added. “The hiring of Edgar gives us the momentum we need to serve our neighbors at a time when fearless, community-centered journalism is needed more than ever.”
