Sia Michel (born May 17, 1967, in Erie, Pennsylvania^[1]) became the first woman to edit a large-circulation American rock magazine. Subsequently appointed as the deputy culture editor of The New York Times, she was promoted to the position of Culture editor in January 2023.^[2]

After Michel graduated from the University of Pennsylvania,^[3] she began her journalism career as a reporter and music editor with SF Weekly.

In February 2002, she was appointed as editor-in-chief of Spin after having worked at the magazine for five years. The first woman to edit a large-circulation American rock magazine, she held that position until February 2006 when the magazine was bought out by new owners. During the time of her editorial leadership, the publication had a circulation of more than half a million readers.^[4][3]

Hired by The New York Times in 2007, she was subsequently promoted to the position of editor of Arts & Leisure and pop music editor for the publication. She was then appointed deputy editor in 2018.^[3] During her tenure with the Times, she has served as a primary editor for Pulitzer Prize-winning film critic Wesley Morris^[5] and contributing critic at large Salamishah Tillet.^[6] In January 2023, Michel was appointed as the publication's new Culture editor.^[4]

Michel has won several awards for reporting and feature writing,^[3] including a 1999 ASCAP Deems Taylor Award for her reporting on the death of hip-hop icon The Notorious B.I.G.^[7]

• History of journalism
• Women in journalism