Angela Burt-Murray Named Editor-In-Chief of ESSENCE Magazine

NEW YORK, N.Y., July 18 /PRNewswire/ -- Angela Burt-Murray has been named editor-in-chief of ESSENCE magazine, it was announced today by Susan L. Taylor, editorial director of Essence Communications, Inc.
Burt-Murray, who was at ESSENCE from 1998 to 2001, most recently has been executive editor of TEEN PEOPLE since 2003. She will now oversee the editorial content of ESSENCE, the preeminent lifestyle magazine for African- American women.
"We are thrilled to welcome Angela back to ESSENCE," said Taylor. "Her understanding of the lives of Black women, her passion for helping them excel and stellar leadership skill make her perfect for the editor-in-chief position. In many ways, Angela is the embodiment of the ESSENCE woman."
Michelle Ebanks, president of Essence Communications Inc., said, "Angela is a genuine talent and we're delighted that she will continue the vision and mission of ESSENCE magazine."
As executive editor of TEEN PEOPLE, Burt-Murray helped execute the magazine's editorial mission, oversaw its staff, top edited its entertainment and real life departments, and managed the title's budget. With a keen eye for what's next, strong story judgment and boundless creativity, she conceived some of TEEN PEOPLE's most important features, including the premiere franchise platform Young Hollywood, The Teen People Annual Sex Survey, and popular new departments. She joined TEEN PEOPLE in April 2003 as features director and was assistant managing editor before being promoted to executive editor in October 2003.
Prior to TEEN PEOPLE, Burt-Murray was executive editor at Honey magazine from 2001 to 2003, beauty director at TEEN PEOPLE in 2001, and the fashion and beauty features editor for ESSENCE. Her work has also appeared in Working Mother, Parenting, Heart & Soul, Atlanta CityMag and Black Elegance.
Burt-Murray is the co-author, along with Denene Millner and Mitzi Miller, of the critically acclaimed humor book The Angry Black Woman's Guide to Life (Dutton), and the forthcoming novel, The Vow (HarperCollins/Amistad). She is also a member of National Association of Black Journalists, the American Society of Magazine Editors, and has made numerous television appearances.
A graduate of Hampton University with a B.S. in Finance, Burt-Murray resides in South Orange, New Jersey, with her husband, Leonard Murray, and their two young children, Solomon and Ellison. Website: http://www.essence.com/