Education and crime beat reporter Kayla Robins has been promoted to editor of the Forsyth County News, publisher Vince Johnson announced this week.

Robins came to the FCN from the Covington News in 2014. She has received first-place honors from Georgia’s Associated Press in both 2014 and 2015 for non-deadline reporting, most recently being honored for her “Heroin’s Hold: A Look Inside Addiction” series.

“Kayla is an exceptional journalist and a natural leader,” Johnson said. “We’re lucky to have her on our staff and in our community. She’ll certainly bring energy and professionalism to this position and help us lead this industry forward from Forsyth County.”

Robins is a 2012 graduate of the University of Florida, holding a bachelor of science in journalism. Prior to working in Covington, her newsroom experience includes stints at The Gainesville Sun in Florida, The Jerusalem Post and Haaretz newspapers Tel Aviv, Israel.

Since joining the FCN, Robins has worked closely with the Forsyth County Schools system and local law enforcement, among others, in covering Forsyth County. She is also the host of Studio Forsyth, a three-day-per-week news show on ForsythNews.com.

Robins takes over leadership of an editorial staff lauded with recent industry accolades. The FCN was given the 2016 Mega-Innovation Award for newspapers at this year’s industry Mega-Conference in Austin, Texas, an honor judged by the Harvard Business School’s innovator-in-residence.

The staff also took home five Georgia Associated Press Media Editors awards for work done in 2015.

“I’m honored to take on this role and excited for what the future holds for our organization,” Robins said. “The people I work with are brilliant, and I have no doubt we will continue our proven success in collaborating to remain at the forefront of delivering news to the area.”

The Forsyth County News was established in 1908 and publishes every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, with live updates and breaking news posted on ForsythNews.com. The FCN also publishes a variety of specialty magazines throughout the year. The media organization is home to Forsyth’s largest local media audience, reaching more than 200,000 unique users each month.

The FCN is currently accepting applications for an open reporter position. Applications and cover letters can be sent to editor@forsythnews.com.