Dennis Coday, 50, National Catholic Reporter managing editor since July 2010, has been named the publication's new editor. In that position he will be responsible for the content of NCR's print and electronic editions. Making the announcement, publisher Tom Fox said Coday is solidly poised to take NCR into a new era. "He has sound editorial judgment, understands the changing electronic tools, and has the character and values needed to lead NCR forward.
"I couldn't be more pleased that he's accepting the post," said Fox, who has been editor since July 2008. Fox will continue as publisher while taking on new company projects. Annette Lomont, NCR board chair, said the board is "highly pleased" with the Coday appointment. "We are most fortunate to have him in this leadership position."
Fox also announced the appointment of Denise Simeone to a new NCR position, director of mission and program development. Simeone, who has recently been working part time at NCR with Celebration editor Pat Marrin, will be working on several mission-related company projects.
Coday first began to contribute to NCR in 1999 from Bangkok, Thailand. He had moved there in 1992 to work as an editor for the Union of Catholic Asian News, and later as a freelance writer. From 1996 to 2003, he worked primarily as a freelancer, covering a variety of topics including business and finance, tourism and travel, refugees, human rights, development and the Catholic church in Asia for publications in the United States and Asia. He also worked as a copy editor for The Nation, one of Bangkok's English-language daily newspapers.
It was in Bangkok that Coday met his wife, Jaratsri. They married in 1994 in Bangkok, where their three sons were born. He came to Kansas City, Mo., as NCR website coordinator in 2003. NCR has had an online presence since 1995, but it was in 2003 that the NCR began concerted work to realize the potential of this changing medium. Coday managed a three-year NCR experiment in social media called NCR Cafe; in 2009 he oversaw the latest NCR online overhaul.
Before moving to Asia, Coday was part of the Catholic Worker movement, living in Kansas City's Holy Family Catholic Worker house. He worked for diocesan newspapers in Kansas City and Joliet, Ill. He has a master's degree in journalism from Marquette University in Milwaukee and a bachelor's degree in English from Rockhurst University in Kansas City. Coday and his wife will celebrate their 18th wedding anniversary this month. The family lives in Liberty, Mo.
height="214" width="200" Simeone has worked for more than 30 years in parish and diocesan work in the dioceses of Albany, N.Y., and Kansas City-St. Joseph, Mo., where she was the director of the Center for Pastoral Life and Ministry. She has worked in the areas of formation and leadership development of pastoral staff and lay leaders. Most recently she was a freelance consultant working as a coach and facilitator in the areas of mission development and long-range planning for churches, religious communities and not-for-profit agencies. She has also served as an advisor to several small businesses. Simeone is a monthly columnist for Celebration, the National Catholic Reporter Publishing Company's liturgical monthly; she is coauthor of an annual scripture commentary, Foundations for Preaching and Teaching, for Liturgical Training Publications.
Originally from Cleveland, she has a bachelor's degree in social welfare from Ohio Dominican University and a master's degree in pastoral studies from Loyola University in Chicago. She has twin daughters and has recently acquired two sons-in-law.
