Hearst Connecticut Media Group has reached outside of the U.S. to hire a news executive to run its chain of publications and websites.

Canadian news executive Wendy Metcalfe was named vice president of content and editor-in-chief at the company, which consists of eight daily newspapers, Connecticut magazine, 13 weekly newspapers and their respective websites. Metcalfe was previously editor-in-chief and director at Brunswick News Inc., and was formerly editor-in-chief of the Toronto Sun.

Mike DeLuca, publisher for Hearst Connecticut Media Group, sought to downplay the hiring of a foreign-based executive by explaining in an email to his staff that Metcalfe was “recently named one of the top 10 leading women to watch in media across North America by Editor & Publisher,” referring to a U.S. media industry trade publication.

Metcalfe replaces Matt DeRienzo, who joined Hearst in October 2018 after a career in Connecticut media that includes stints as editor of the New Haven Register and the Register Citizen, which serves the Torrington area.

Under DeRienzo’s editorship, Hearst’s Connecticut Post became the first major daily newspaper to call for President Trump’s resignation. He also conducted a public feud with the Bridgeport police department following the arrest of a Connecticut Post reporter covering a protest march in May. No reason was given by Hearst for DeRienzo’s departure.