NBC News announces changes to White House team

By Matt Collins Article may include affiliate links

NBC News has announced a series of changes to its White House team.

Longtime NBC and D.C. journalist Kelly O’Donnell has been named senior White House correspondent.

O’Donnell has been with NBC News since 1994, having been based in both New York and L.A. over the course of her career.

Meanwhile, correspondent Geoff Bennett is leaving his White House post. He had been filling in as anchor for the 2 p.m. hour on “MSNBC Reports,” filling in for Katy Tur, who is on maternity leave after welcoming a baby with husband and “CBS Mornings” co-anchor Tony Dokoupil.

Kristen Welker and Peter Alexander will remain co-chief White House correspondents along with co-anchoring Saturday “Today,” NBC News confirmed to MixDex.

Bennett says he’s “sticking around” has a contributor for the network, but won’t be anchoring regularly.

“I look forward to soon sharing where you can find me next,” he tweeted Oct. 28, 2021.

Although he didn’t announce any specifics, Bennett could be headed to another outlet that isn’t a direct competitor of NBC or MSNBC but could continue contributing to the networks.

Contributors are typically paid to appear regularly on networks, but often have other full time jobs, lending their expertise or journalistic chops to both organizations. It’s common, for example, for newspaper or digital reporters to be contributors to cable networks and MSNBC already has several similar arrangements in place.

NBC has also named Elyse Perlmutter-Gumbiner to White House Coordinating Producer.

“In this role, Elyse will expand her duties to include working on team planning and scheduling, coordinating large projects, and overseeing domestic presidential travel,” NBC execs wrote in a memo to staff announcing the changes.

Perlmutter-Gumbiner was previously a producer at the White House for NBCU’s news properties. She started at NBC 10 years ago as a desk assistant and then moved up to be a researcher for Tom Costello’s team. She also has experience as a field and coordination producer.