The new-look NJ PBS announced its reporting staff Monday afternoon, three journalists who will serve geographic regions of the state:
- Sean Sullivan, Reporter, North Jersey;
- Scott Minshall, Reporter, South Jersey;
- Asha McKenzie, News Contributor, State House and Central Jersey.
Montclair was named the new operator of the four television stations licensed to the State of New Jersey as of July 1; the University will take over full control of programming and the daily newscast from current operator WNET on Oct. 1, 2026.
The station has previously announced the hiring of General Manager Ashlee Smith, News Director Omnika Thompson and Anchor Rob Nelson.
“These hires reflect the kind of NJ PBS we’re building: deeply rooted in communities across the state, committed to strong local journalism and equipped to tell New Jersey’s stories across platforms,” Smith said. “We’re excited to bring together this talented team as we prepare to launch on Oct. 1.”
Sullivan will cover northern New Jersey and issues with statewide impact, on air, online and on social platforms. He spent 15 years at NJ.com and The Star-Ledger as a reporter and videographer, covering local news, criminal justice and the State House across three administrations. His watchdog reporting on police use of force, prison sexual abuse and wrongful convictions changed laws and spurred government inquiries.
In 2025, he won the Roy Peter Clark Prize for Excellence in Short Writing from the Poynter Journalism Prizes for a TikTok he made at the mall. He lives in northern New Jersey with his wife and daughter.
Minshall, a South Jersey native, returns home to cover the state’s southern counties. He was most recently an investigative reporter at WIAT-TV in Birmingham, Alabama. Before that, he spent two years at WZMQ-TV, where his reporting led to the return of more than $500,000 in misspent tax dollars. He holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Northern Michigan University.
McKenzie will report from central New Jersey and the Statehouse. An Emmy Award-winning journalist, she spent a decade with News 12 Networks, including eight years as morning anchor for News 12 The Bronx and News 12 Brooklyn, and most recently anchored mornings for News 12 Connecticut and reported for News 12 New Jersey.
McKenzie has also worked as a freelance anchor for Cheddar News and taught as an adjunct professor at Montclair State’s College of Communication and Media. Her reporting focuses on issues affecting underserved communities, including health care disparities, environmental justice and food insecurity.
