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E. Matteo Diaz ’27 will lead The Crimson as the president of its 153rd guard, taking the paper’s helm as Harvard’s campus remains a focal point for national headlines and political battles.

Diaz will be joined on The Crimson’s masthead by incoming managing editor Dhruv T. Patel ’27 and business manager Luis Pedro “LP” Chavez Lopez-Ibanez ’27, the paper announced on Tuesday.

A Social Studies and Applied Mathematics concentrator from San Rafael, California, Diaz will become president after serving for a year as an associate editorial editor. He led the editorial board’s training process in fall 2024, and he has edited more than 40 op-eds and internal columns — working with authors including prominent faculty and union leaders.

Diaz, who is a member of The Crimson’s Multimedia board, also wrote and videographed an opinion feature that profiled international students navigating attacks from the White House this spring.

He has previously worked in The Crimson’s organization-wide leadership, serving for a year as the paper’s Diversity and Inclusivity chair. A resident of Leverett House, Diaz will be The Crimson’s first openly transgender president. He will begin his term on Jan. 1.

McKenna E. McKrell ’26, The Crimson’s outgoing president, praised the 153rd guard’s “bold plans for The Crimson’s content and business” in a statement.

“In the wake of such a turbulent year for Harvard — one which proved the continued relevance and importance of student journalism — I am confident that there is no group better equipped or more enthusiastic to meet the demands of this moment,” McKrell wrote.

The Crimson — Harvard’s daily student newspaper since its founding in 1873 — selects its masthead through an annual election dubbed the Turkey Shoot, in which all outgoing editors are eligible to vote. Candidates for the paper’s highest leadership positions must secure support from 75 percent of voters.

Patel, a Computer Science and Economics concentrator from Elk Grove Village, Illinois, will direct The Crimson’s newsroom as managing editor next year. He will work with associate managing editors Laurel M. Shugart ’27 and Cam N. Srivastava ’27 to lead daily news coverage and will also oversee The Crimson’s magazine, sports and arts sections, and blog.

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As a central administration reporter, Patel covers the decisions of Harvard President Alan M. Garber ’76 and the University’s governing boards. He has reported extensively on Harvard’s historic clash with the Trump administration, unearthing inside looks at the University’s negotiations with the White House.

Patel has also closely covered the ties between Jeffrey E. Epstein and high-profile Harvard affiliates. With Srivastava, Patel first reported an extensive series of messages between Epstein and former Harvard President Lawrence H. Summers discussing Summers’ pursuit of a younger economist — a story that was swiftly followed by Summers’ departure from public commitments and his teaching role at Harvard.

Patel previously covered the Harvard Kennedy School, where he first reported Jeremy Weinstein’s selection for the school’s deanship, and followed Harvard’s baseball team for the sports section.

Shugart, a police accountability reporter, has reported on faultlines in Harvard’s police department and the abrupt resignation of its chief. Srivastava, a college administration reporter, has covered student group suspensions and the legal and political disruptions faced by international students under the Trump administration.

Chavez, as The Crimson’s next business manager, will lead the paper’s financial operations. An Economics concentrator from Guatemala City, Guatemala, and resident of Adams House, Chavez currently serves as a programs manager on the business board — leading the 18-member team that develops and runs The Crimson’s educational programs for high school students.

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In his current role, Chavez has overseen $100,000 in year-over-year growth in programs revenue and managed journalism and business programs held on Harvard’s campus, internationally, and online.

Joining Diaz, Patel, and Chavez on the masthead are:

News

Laurel M. Shugart ’27, Associate Managing Editor

Cam N. Srivastava ’27, Associate Managing Editor

Business

Fiona E. Reenan ’27, Associate Business Manager

Shrey B. Jhalani ’27, Associate Business Manager

Editorial

Heidi S. Enger ’27, Editorial Chair

Zakiriya H. Gladney ’27, Editorial Chair

Arts

Erlisa Demneri ’27, Arts Chair

Melina Fonseca ’27, Arts Chair

Blog

Ava H. Rem ’27, Blog Chair

Mirika J. Jambudi ’27, Blog Chair

Design

Sarah F. Li ’27, Design Chair

Magazine

Kate J. Kaufman ’27, Magazine Chair

Aurora J.B. Sousanis ’27, Magazine Chair

Multimedia

Ellen P. Cassidy ’27, Multimedia Chair

Mae T. Weir ’27, Multimedia Chair

Sports

Reed M. Trimble ’27, Sports Chair

Isabel C. Smail ’27, Sports Chair

Technology

August C. Damiani ’28, Technology Chair

Jonathan W. Wu ’27, Technology Chair