MSNBC announces four new hires, with three NBCU staffers moving over after Versant launch

MSNBC has named its picks for several key correspondent positions as it prepares to part ways with NBC News.

The network, which will become part of Comcast’s spinoff Versant later in 2025, has named current NBC correspondent Vaughn Hillyard senior White House correspondent, The Hollywood Reporter was first to report.

Hillyard is already assigned to the White House. 

“PBS News Hour” alum Laura Barrón-López is also coming on board as part of the White House team. She has covered the White House and had been making regular appearances on MSNBC for some time.

Outside the beltway, current NBC correspondent David Noriega will take on the same role at MSNBC. 

Marc Santia, who currently reports for WNBC in New York will become an investigative correspondent for MSNBC.

Three out of the four staffing announcements involve moving over current NBCUniversal employees to Versant. NBC has been filling roles at MSNBC both from within NBC News and outside the network.

Once the Versant split is complete, MSNBC will have its own, physically separate newsroom in New York and Washington, D.C., with work already underway for both temporary and permanent homes for these staffers in both cities. The newsrooms will also be staffed with employees employed by Versant and not NBCU. 

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It is not clear if Versant will create separate newsrooms in other cities, such as Los Angeles, or share space with NBC. It has been hiring staffers dedicated solely to Versant in other locations, however.