Noel Millea Joining Obituaries

For some time, Noel Millea, the deputy editor on the Real Estate desk, had expressed enthusiasm about obituaries, intrigued by their unique combination of newsy urgency, current history and strong narrative writing. If an editing position opened up on the Obituaries desk, she once told me, she'd certainly raise her hand.

Well, a position did open up and Noel did raise her hand and I'm pleased to announce that she will be filling that spot as an assistant editor beginning Oct. 15.

Noel comes to the desk with a well-earned reputation for sure-handed story editing, a creative editorial imagination and a winning collaborative spirit in working with writers.

As the deputy in Real Estate since 2015, Noel edited features on design and the housing market and oversaw a number of columns, including Living In; the national and California versions of What You Get; At Home With (previously known as What I Love); On Location; and The Fix. She also started new columns, including In the Garden, Living Small and How To.

She went to Real Estate from the Home section, which was her first stop after joining The Times in 2006 as Home's deputy editor. She became editor of the section in 2009 and ran the shop until it closed in 2015. Along the way she compiled a book of some of her favorite articles - Home: The Best of the New York Times Home Section, published by Rizzoli.

Before coming to The Times, Noel was an editor at The Monacelli Press, the co-editor in chief of Surface magazine and a senior editor at Metropolis magazine.

She grew up in Southern California and graduated from Rice University in Houston with a degree in architectural studies - after taking a year off from architecture to study English literature at the University of London.

In a note to me, Noel wrote: "I think what I've enjoyed most about the work I've done at The Times, in Home and Real Estate, is being able to explore the various and sometimes surprising ways people choose to live. I can't wait to continue that in my new role in Obituaries."

And the Obits desk can't wait to have her join our talented team.