David Plazas joined the staff of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on May 5 as deputy managing editor overseeing opinion. He serves on the AJC editorial board and will work to develop the board’s editorial voice and connect with members of the community to advance the AJC’s journalism.
He served as opinion editor of The Tennessean from Nov. 25, 2014, until May 2, 2025, serving as an editorial writer, op-ed editor and events organizer. He oversaw the USA TODAY Network Tennessee’s opinion work in publications in all three Grand Divisions, including The Tennessean, The Memphis Commercial Appeal and The Knoxville News Sentinel. He led the acclaimed Civility Tennessee campaign; oversaw the Black and Latino Tennessee Voices initiatives; hosted the Tennessee Voices video podcast (with 450-plus episodes); moderated numerous political forums featuring candidates for Senate, governor, and county and city officials; and wrote the yearlong award-winning “Costs of Growth and Change” in Nashville series.
His work has been recognized with top honors by numerous journalism organizations including the Society of Professional Journalists, Online News Association and Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights organization. The Tennessean won multiple Tennessee Press Association first-place awards in editorial writing and public service under Plazas’ tenure. He started his journalism career at The News-Press in Fort Myers in 2000.
