NEW YORK (JTA) — Gabrielle Birkner is the new managing editor of JTA.

Birkner is heading JTA’s editorial team and leading efforts to expand and improve the 97-year-old Jewish news agency’s digital offerings.

“We are so proud and excited to have Gabi assuming this role,” said Ami Eden, JTA’s CEO and editor in chief. “She is a top-rate journalist, a great digital strategist and a superb mentor and manager. She is the perfect person to uphold our century-long tradition of  journalistic excellence, while helping us continue to implement a digital strategy for the future.”

Birkner is the former director of digital media at the Forward, where she founded and edited the women’s issues blog, The Sisterhood. She also served as a religion reporter and features editor at The New York Sun, and as a staff writer at The New York Jewish Week. She co-founded and serves as executive editor of Modern Loss, an online magazine about grief and loss, geared toward 20- and 30-somethings.

“I’m thrilled to join JTA’s talented team at this pivotal moment for the news organization. I look forward to working with our staff writers and correspondents around the world to deliver exceptional journalism to our online readers and client newspapers,” Birkner said.

Founded in 1917 and known for decades as the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, JTA reports on developments impacting Jews and Jewish communities in the United States, Israel and around the world. JTA serves 3 million users per year via its website and enewsletters, and distributes content to 75 syndication clients around the world.

JTA is in the process of merging with MyJewishLearning. Eden and board leaders of both organizations have insisted that even after the merger JTA will continue to operate as a standalone news brand.