Philly native Rebecca Kutler is set to replace Rashida Jones as MSNBC president

MSNBC is getting a new president, and so far it’s someone with roots in Pennsylvania.

Rashida Jones announced on Tuesday that she was leaving the cable channel, stepping down as its president after four years in the role. In a memo to employees, Jones said she would stay on until March as part of a transition process.

Rebecca Kutler, a Philadelphia native who serves as the network’s senior vice president of content strategy, will take over as MSNBC’s interim network president. Kutler was recruited to MSNBC from CNN by Jones in 2022. The promotion is effective immediately, according to management.

Kutler has not publicly commented at the time of publication.

Who is Rebecca Kutler?

MSNBC’s new interim president currently serves as senior vice president of content strategy. In that role, she oversees MSNBC’s daytime programming and additional brand content, such as podcasts, films, live events and streaming platforms.

Since joining MSNBC in 2022, Kutler has been praised for spearheading the development and expansion of several of MSNBC’s marquee programs, including Inside with Jen Psaki and The weekend.

According to networkKutler, 45, presided over the launch of the MSNBC Live event series, which features high-profile interviews, panel discussions and conversations with MSNBC hosts including Rachel Maddow, Lawrence O’Donnell and Chris Hayes. She also led the network’s mobile app relaunch and its premium podcast subscription service.

Where is Kutler from?

Before joining MSNBC, Kutler was born in Pennsylvania, grew up in Philly’s Center City and later, Montgomery County, along with other parts of the Northeast. She earned her bachelor’s degree from George Washington University and her master’s degree in journalism from Columbia University, according to her LinkedIn profile.

What is Kutler’s career history?

The majority of her career was used on CNNwith two decades of credentials including producer, executive producer, and later, vice president of content development and senior vice president and head of programming for CNN+. Kutler helped build CNN’s talent team, which included Abby Phillip, Van Jones, David Axelrod and Laura Coates.

In an interview in 2020 with Columbia Journalism ReviewKutler was hailed as a “pundit czar” for her ability to recruit and judge winning contributors.

She is a mother of three and met her husband when the couple attended George Washington University together. The family lives in Bethesda, Md.

“Rebecca is the ideal leader to guide us through this moment, and I look forward to working with her as we shape our collective future together,” said Mark Lazarus, incoming CEO of SpinCo (Comcast’s new NBC spin- off company). Lazarus went on to call Kutler a “catalyst for growth” at MSNBC and a “highly respected industry veteran.”