Leslie McCardel has been promoted to executive news director, concluding a nationwide search for the TEGNA station.
She replaces Carolyn Mungo, who was recently promoted from the same role to vice president and station manager at North Texas’ largest ABC affiliate. McCardel is currently director of content and strategy at the station.
“It was clear early on that Leslie stood out among the list of top contenders," Mungo said of the process of interviewing candidates.
“Her ability to embrace change, instill a positive culture, and manage unique content on multiple platforms made her the best choice to take WFAA to the next level,” Mungo added.
McCardel is a news veteran who started her career in California before coming to Texas and TEGNA’s KHOU in Houston. She joined WFAA in 2006 and quickly advanced into editorial management the following year.
While working as WFAA’s cross-platform content manager in 2015, she decided to leave the station to be a stay-at-home mom. But after the July 7, 2016, police ambush in Downtown Dallas that left five officers dead, McCardel made the decision to return to journalism at WFAA.
In her current role, McCardel has driven a number of late news successes, including managing the news department’s signature WFAA Originals storytelling brand.
She is also responsible for executing an in-house innovation lab that is now a model for all TEGNA stations.
McCardel is married and has an 11-year-old son and twin 8-year-old daughters. She is set to begin her new duties at the station on Sept. 1.
