Award-Winning Journalist Andrea McCarren to Join PenFed Team

New PenFed Digital division will highlight stories from national defense community

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Sep 04, 2018, 10:00 ET

TYSONS, Va., Sept. 4, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Andrea McCarren, one of Washington's most accomplished television journalists, is moving from WUSA9 (CBS) to PenFed Credit Union to lead the company's new digital division, PenFed President and CEO James Schenck announced today.

McCarren will begin in January 2019 as Vice President and Chief Content Officer for PenFed Digital, which will highlight the inspiring work of veterans, active duty service members, military families and the national defense community.

McCarren is a nationally recognized journalist whose work has been honored with 22 Emmy Awards, three Edward R. Murrows, a Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights citation, accolades from Investigative Reporters and Editors, numerous honors from the Associated Press, and a 2018 Gracie Award for her military affairs reporting. She was selected for the prestigious, year-long Nieman Fellowship at Harvard University, awarded a Kiplinger Fellowship in Public Affairs Journalism at Ohio State University and a KCBS Fellowship for graduate work at the University of Southern California.

"I'm incredibly honored to work for an organization that does so much for those who served and sacrificed for our country," said McCarren. "As the proud daughter of an Air Force Brigadier General, my passion is helping veterans and military families. I can't wait to focus my digital skills on sharing their stories with the world. Working for PenFed, and its outstanding PenFed Foundation, is a dream come true for me."

In recent years, McCarren has raised two service dogs on the job, bringing them on daily news assignments and educating the public about their mission to serve wounded warriors and others with disabilities. Her first dog, Bunce, was placed with an Army veteran who lost both legs while deployed to Afghanistan. Her second dog, Nigel, will return to Canine Companions for Independence in November for advanced training. Nigel is expected to begin serving a person with disabilities in the spring of 2019.

"Through raising service dogs, I developed strong ties to the veterans community," said McCarren. "My work was increasingly about the challenges faced by military families and the uplifting way they overcame them. I will continue and expand that mission through the great platform provided by PenFed."

"I actually met Andrea through her work raising service dogs who better the lives of America's veterans," said Schenck. "I am so impressed with her commitment and dedication to our shared mission of serving the brave men and women who fight and win our nation's wars. We agree that PenFed and the PenFed Foundation provide the perfect platform for Andrea to utilize her world-class storytelling and communications skills. We are thrilled to have her join our team and launch PenFed Digital."

McCarren will report to Chief Communications Officer Steve Bosack, Special Advisor to the President.

McCarren is a graduate of Vassar College and the London School of Economics and Political Science. Her 32-year journalism career includes stints at NBC News and ABC News, covering the White House, Pentagon and Capitol Hill. During the Clinton Administration, she traveled weekly on Air Force One. Prior to coming to Washington, D.C., McCarren covered national and local news in Portland, Ore., Miami, Fla., Wichita, Kan., and Savannah, Ga.

About PenFed Credit Union
Established in 1935 as the War Department Credit Union, Pentagon Federal Credit Union (PenFed) is America's second-largest federal credit union, serving 1.7 million members worldwide with $23.5 billion in assets. Our mission is to help members reach their financial potential. PenFed Credit Union offers market-leading mortgages, automobile loans, credit cards, student loans, checking, certificates, and a wide range of other financial services with members' interests always in mind. We have a proud history of serving those in the Armed Forces, Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security, Military Associations, eligible veterans and retirees, and their families. You may also qualify through membership in select organizations within our field of membership. PenFed Credit Union is federally insured by the NCUA and is an equal housing lender. To learn more about PenFed Credit Union, visit PenFed.org, like us on Facebook and follow us @PenFed on Twitter. Interested in working for PenFed? Check us out on LinkedIn. We are proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer.

SOURCE PenFed Credit Union