espnW Adds Three to Online Editorial Staff

Adding to its already well-respected and influential team of contributors, espnW.com has named Heather Burns and Joy Russo deputy editors and added writer Kate Fagan to the team.

espnW is ESPN’s first dedicated content and digital business initiative designed to connect female fans with the sports they love and follow.  The espnW.com site provides a unique voice in the larger conversation of women and sports by working with a variety of highly-skilled and specialized writers, columnists, and contributors as well as utilizing content from multiple ESPN platforms. The addition of Burns, Russo, and Fagan will provide fresh perspectives and help continue to grow the site.  Russo and Fagan will begin work on the site this month with Burns joining in early January.

Heather Burns previously served as senior editor for ESPN.com where, since January 2008, she was in charge of the night news desk operation.  In her new role, she will be in charge of day-to-day operations of the espnW.com site and will oversee content planning.  Burns will report to Tina Johnson, editor-in-chief.

Joy Russo joins espnW from ESPN.com where she most recently served as senior editor for NHL and Olympics content. From 2003-2005 she served as a coordinating producer for the 6 p.m. SportsCenter and ESPNEWS.  She began her career at ESPN in 2000 as an editor for the national news desk based in Seattle.  In her new role, Russo will be in charge of event and long-lead feature planning.  She will also oversee coverage of the 2012 Summer OIympics in London for ESPN.com, espnW.com, and ESPN The Magazine.  She will report to Johnson.

Kate Fagan moves to espnW.com from the Philadelphia Inquirer where she covered the Philadelphia 76ers of the NBA.  She is a graduate of the University of Colorado, where she played women’s basketball from 1999-2003.  She played professionally in Dublin, Ireland and for the Colorado Chill of the National Women’s Basketball League. She will write for espnW’s commentary section, long-form features, and special sections

“The addition of these three talented women will help espnW.com continue to develop excellent content and fan engagement on our site,” said Laura Gentile, vice president, espnW.  “As we continue to grow, we look for Heather, Joy and Kate to help us establish high quality, authoritative, engaging ‘voices’ that speak to female fans.”