CNBC names Wellons its new San Fran bureau chief

The following announcement was made on Monday by Nik Deogun, senior vice president and editor in chief of CNBC Business News, and Kevin Krim, senior vice president and general manager of CNBC Digital:

With CNBC’s new bureau at One Market Street in San Francisco opening in April and the network’s continued commitment to coverage of the technology sector, including the recent launch of “Squawk Alley,” we are very excited to announce that Mary Catherine Wellons has been named San Francisco Bureau Chief, effective Feb. 2.  In this role, she will spearhead CNBC’s broadcast and digital coverage in Northern California and work closely with our partners at Re/code.

We can’t think of anyone better suited to this role. Mary Catherine most recently served as CNBC’s first-ever Director of Social Media, building a social media team from scratch and establishing a robust presence for us across various digital platforms. Prior to making the leap into digital media, Mary Catherine spent two years as a field producer in Los Angeles where she covered media and technology.  Before her stint on the West Coast, Mary Catherine produced for David Faber during the financial crisis, covering the fall of Bear Stearns, Lehman Brothers and AIG.

Mary Catherine received a SABEW award in 2011 for “creative use across multiple platforms” in the production of “Your Money Your Vote: The Republican Presidential Debate.”  She holds a B.A. in political and social thought from the University of Virginia, where she graduated with high distinction.

Mary Catherine will report to Lacy O’Toole with a dotted-line into Kevin Krim.

Please join us in congratulating Mary Catherine on her new role.

Mark Berniker, who become bureau chief in 2013, is moving on to other opportunities, according to a CNBC spokeswoman,