It's no secret that The New York Times has lofty ambitions in the West, where some of the biggest breaking stories unfold. From hurricanes and fires to politics and protests , the Express desk has helped the newsroom stay on top of developments across a diverse, trend-setting region where so much of our audience lives. Express is pleased to welcome Jennifer Sinco Kelleher, a veteran reporter in Honolulu, who will help The Times expand our reach even farther.

Jennifer is the first full-time Times reporter in Hawaii since World War II . She has worked since 2011 for the Honolulu bureau of The Associated Press, where her coverage of Native Hawaiian issues , legal affairs , law enforcement , weather disasters and many other topics showcased her wide-ranging curiosity and high metabolism for news. Her last stories for The A.P. were about Hurricane Lala and its aftermath.

Jennifer, who was born in Hawaii and speaks Ilocano, her mother's Filipino language, and Pidgin, Hawaii's Creole language, will jump on news out of the westernmost state, as well as stories from the Pacific to the U.S. mainland and beyond. Positioned between our hubs in Los Angeles and Seoul, she will also assist on major national and international stories. And with her deep knowledge of Hawaii and other parts of the U.S., she will help drive Express's mission of delivering trending stories and features that appeal to a broad audience.

Jennifer attended the University of Southern California and worked for The Los Angeles Times and Newsday, where she was part of a team that investigated safety hazards on the Long Island Rail Road, work that was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service in 2008.

Please join me in saying aloha to Jennifer.

- Melissa