Two journalists promoted to new roles on N&O sports and politics teams

Sports and politics are among the coverage areas that have long distinguished The News & Observer. Now the newspaper has promoted two members of its staff to key roles overseeing those topics.

Natalie Pierre has been named N&O sports editor, while Lars Dolder is the new NC Insider editor.

Both have already made major contributions to The N&O’s coverage in their previous roles. Pierre, as a deputy sports editor for McClatchy Southeast, led college sports coverage — including North Carolina and Duke’s runs to the Final Four last season — in the Carolinas. Dolder, as a business reporter, has covered retail, innovation and technology for the paper.

“Natalie and Lars are innovative, energetic and talented journalists, and we’re proud to elevate them to these new roles,” said Bill Church, executive editor of The N&O. “With their help, we’ll continue producing journalism with impact and connecting readers with news about what matters in their lives.”

Over the last 15 years, Pierre has covered some of college football’s most successful programs extensively, led basketball coverage — at all levels — across the Southeast and reported on NCAA business, policies and legislation.

A native of Lake Mary, Florida, her career includes stops at AL.com/The Birmingham News and the Tallahassee Democrat. Prior to joining The N&O in November 2021, she worked as a culture, diversity and inclusion reporter for The State Journal-Register in Springfield, Illinois.

In her new role, the Syracuse University and Delta State University graduate will continue to lead The N&O’s college sports coverage, while overseeing the department.

Dolder is a Connecticut native and a graduate of N.C. State University. Before joining the N&O in October 2021, he was a reporter and columnist at the Chatham News + Record, where he wrote about government, police, business and other news.

In his new role, Dolder covers the General Assembly and edits the daily newsletter from the Insider, a state government news service that offers a comprehensive suite of products for government affairs professionals. He is part of the N&O’s politics team, which covers the state and federal governments and North Carolina elections and politics. He also edits news from around the Southeast for McClatchy.

The News & Observer’s award-winning coverage can be found on mobile apps, on social media, at newsobserver.com and in print. Its parent company, the McClatchy Co., operates 30 newsrooms across the country, including The Herald-Sun of Durham and The Charlotte Observer.