A New Chapter for Nightingale: Teo Popescu Named Managing Editor

By The Editorial Board
March 1, 2026

The Nightingale journal, the flagship publication of the Data Visualization Society (DVS), officially entered a new administrative era today. As of March 1, 2026, Teo Popescu has assumed the role of Managing Editor, succeeding Will Careri. This transition marks a significant milestone for the publication, which has grown from a fledgling blog into the industry’s most influential voice for data storytelling, ethical visualization, and design research.

For the community of data practitioners, designers, and researchers who turn to Nightingale for insights, this leadership change represents both a continuation of a legacy of excellence and a pivot toward new, multifaceted editorial strategies.

The Transition: Continuity and Evolution

The appointment of Teo Popescu comes after an extensive search to find a successor who understands the unique intersection of data science, journalism, and community building. Popescu is not an outsider; she served as the journal’s Content Editor from 2024 to 2025. Her tenure during that period was defined by her pivotal role in overseeing the development and production of the journal’s print editions, most notably the critically acclaimed "Issue 5: Nature."

Her predecessor, Will Careri, leaves behind a robust foundation. During his two-year term as Managing Editor (2024–2026), Careri oversaw a period of unprecedented output for the publication. Under his stewardship, Nightingale published more than 200 articles, collaborating with nearly 150 unique contributors from across the globe.

A Chronology of Editorial Leadership

To understand the significance of this transition, one must look at the recent trajectory of the journal:

• 2022: Will Careri joins Nightingale as a contributing writer, quickly establishing himself as a thought leader in the space.
• 2022–2024: Careri joins the core editorial team, helping to define the journal’s editorial standards and visual identity.
• 2024: Careri is appointed Managing Editor; simultaneously, Teo Popescu joins as Content Editor, focusing on the expansion of the print publication arm.
• 2024–2025: The journal undergoes a growth spurt in both digital traffic and print circulation, with Popescu taking the lead on thematic issues like "Nature."
• 2026 (March 1): Official transition of power; Careri moves into an emeritus-style role, while Popescu takes the helm as Managing Editor.

The Impact of Will Careri’s Tenure

Will Careri’s legacy is defined by a commitment to diversity in subject matter and a dedication to the craft of visual storytelling. Before stepping into the role of Managing Editor, Careri was already a staple contributor to the site. Two of his personal articles remain among the most-read pieces in the history of the journal:

1. "Designing for Neurodivergent Audiences": A foundational text that pushed the industry to consider accessibility not as an afterthought, but as a core requirement of data design.
2. "The Visual Evolution of the Tommy Westphall Universe": A deep dive into complex data mapping that demonstrated how pop culture analysis can serve as a masterclass in information design.

Beyond his writing, Careri was instrumental in the physical manifestation of the DVS’s vision. He played a key role in the editorial development of three major print issues—Guidelines, Emotion, and Nature—which helped bridge the gap between digital-first content and physical, collectible artifacts for the community.

While Careri is stepping down from the day-to-day administrative burdens of the Managing Editor role, he remains a dedicated member of the Nightingale family. He intends to continue contributing as an editor and writer, focusing his energy on long-form investigative projects that require the time and depth that his previous administrative schedule did not allow.

Meet the New Editor: Teo Popescu

Teo Popescu arrives at the helm of Nightingale with a pedigree that blends hard-hitting investigative journalism with a mastery of data visualization. Currently serving as the design, graphics, and data editor at KUOW Public Radio in Seattle, Popescu brings a "newsroom-first" mentality to the journal.

Professional Highlights

Her professional background is marked by a series of high-impact data projects that have helped define modern public-interest journalism:

• The Trump Legal Tracker: During the first three months of the administration, Popescu managed a real-time visualization tracker that became a primary resource for regional political observers.
• ICE Arrest Data: She led the visualization efforts to map ICE arrest data across Washington state, turning opaque government datasets into clear, actionable narratives for the public.
• ProPublica Collaboration: She contributed to an investigative series regarding the potential misuse of shelter funds in Seattle, demonstrating her capability to handle sensitive, high-stakes data reporting.

Beyond her work in newsrooms, Popescu is an educator. She holds positions at both UC Berkeley and the University of Washington, where she teaches the next generation of multimedia and graphics journalists. This pedagogical background is expected to inform her tenure at Nightingale, with many in the community expecting a renewed focus on "tutorials and training" for up-and-coming dataviz professionals.

The "Control F" Factor

In the past year, Popescu has expanded her creative footprint by launching Control F, a data journalism podcast. The show is a deep dive into the "why" and "how" of data, exploring research, algorithms, and the hidden assumptions behind the charts we see every day. This podcasting experience signals a potential expansion for Nightingale into multi-channel media, potentially bringing audio-first storytelling to the DVS community.

Official Statements: A Vision for the Future

In her first official statement as Managing Editor, Popescu expressed a blend of humility and excitement for the road ahead.

"I’m excited to come back to the Nightingale community. It’s an honor to come back in this way—to take up the mantle Will leaves behind. I’m excited to get to know everyone better and continue to foster a sense of community. I hope that with every article we publish, the love for our craft is evident on the page. It’s what keeps me coming back, and I hope it helps sustain you in these times, too."

This emphasis on "community" and "love for the craft" provides a clear roadmap for her administration. Where previous eras focused on scaling the reach of the publication, Popescu’s tenure appears poised to focus on the depth and sustainability of the content, ensuring that every piece published adds substantive value to the discourse.

Implications for the Data Visualization Society

The transition of power at Nightingale is more than a simple management shuffle; it is a signal of the maturation of the data visualization field. As the DVS continues to expand, Nightingale must serve as the intellectual hub for its members.

Strategic Outlook

1. Pedagogical Growth: With an educator at the helm, we can expect an increase in workshops, webinars, and long-form educational series on the platform.
2. Integrative Media: Popescu’s success with Control F suggests that Nightingale may begin to incorporate more audio and video components, moving beyond the static blog post format.
3. Cross-Disciplinary Reporting: Given her work at the intersection of public radio and data, Popescu is likely to encourage contributors to look outside the "viz bubble" and engage with social, political, and environmental issues through the lens of data.

As we look toward the remainder of 2026 and beyond, the journal is in a strong position. The partnership between the outgoing leadership’s legacy of stability and the incoming leadership’s drive for innovation suggests that Nightingale will remain the definitive voice for data visualization.

For the members of the DVS and the broader community of readers, the message is clear: the journal is in capable hands, and the best stories are yet to be told.