SEATTLE, Wash. – Seattle Times Editor Don Shelton has named a new leadership team to position the newspaper for digital success.

Michele Matassa Flores has been named Managing Editor. Matassa Flores, who has worked in or supervised nearly every news department during her 23 years at The Times, will manage day-to-day operations of the newsroom while directly overseeing Metro, Business and Visuals.

"Mich is the complete package," Shelton said. "She's worked in or supervised every corner of the newsroom, and she's one of the finest journalists and leaders I've ever worked with. Her energy and enthusiasm are contagious."

She was hired by The Seattle Times in 1988 and rejoined the company in 2013 after a five-year break. Previous roles have included reporter, deputy business editor, co-metro editor, deputy investigations editor, features editor, AME for sports and features, and deputy managing editor. A graduate of the University of Oregon, she also held leadership roles with the news website Crosscut and the Puget Sound Business Journal and worked at the Salem, Ore. Statesman-Journal.

Lynn Jacobson has been named Deputy Managing Editor. Jacobson has worked at The Times off and on for 23 years, previously as features desk editor, assistant A&E editor, A&E editor, features editor, assistant metro editor and digital editor.

"Lynn is a positive force and a natural leader," Shelton said. "She's one of our most capable managers, editors and problem-solvers, and she really gets the urgency and importance of our emphasis on digital."

A graduate of University of Washington and New York University, she also served as deputy managing editor of the Seattle Weekly. Jacobson will oversee Digital, Features and the News Desk at The Times.

"We make a great team," Shelton said. "Mich and Lynn bring an unbeatable combination of optimism, pragmatism, collaboration and creativity to newsroom leadership. They're infectious and genuine.”

Changes took effect Monday, July 25.

"We have some daunting challenges ahead,” Shelton said. “We must push ourselves to become more digital, nimble and reader driven while maintaining our same high standards of journalism.  I have no doubt that The Seattle Times newsroom can accomplish great - even unprecedented - things very quickly under this leadership team. We have some of the finest, most committed journalists in the country, and they're ready to embrace the major but essential changes we need to make swiftly."

Other changes will be announced over the next few weeks.