On her first day at City Paper, back in 2009, Caroline Jones found her desk covered in garbage—because, historically, CP editorial staffers live like animals. She’d arrived at the paper as an intern two years after winning $5,000 in Jeopardy‘s teen tournament (during which host Alex Trebek admired her shoes.)

After finishing college and a few more internships, she later returned to become the paper’s City Lights editor, writing and editing weekly event listings and critics’ picks.

On Monday, she’ll become the paper’s managing editor.

During her five years here, Jones has grown from a listings manager to a sharp editor whose work is crucial to virtually every aspect of this paper. She works with dozens of journalists, all with different writing styles, and delivers impeccable copy on time without fail. Her ideas are the force behind some of City Paper‘s most significant annual issues, and she even begins planning her Best of D.C. picks nine months in advance. She’s also our official sandwich columnist.

Jones graduated from Emerson College in 2011 with a degree in writing, literature, and publishing. She grew up in Silver Spring and has spent the majority of her life in the region, which hasn’t translated to support of the city’s sports teams—she still hates the Washington Wizards.

We’re overjoyed that she cleaned the garbage off her desk her first day, returned to join the full-time staff, and still walks in every morning with the enthusiasm of a new employee. “I love being part of a team that shares uncensored ideas about everything from D.C. Council races to the best downtown happy hours​,” she says.