TechCrunch’s Top Editor Tsotsis Steps Down

Alexia Tsotsis will be stepping down from her high-profile job as co-editor of TechCrunch today. The reason: To do the MSx management masters program at Stanford University’s business school.

According to its website, “the one-year, full-time program is designed specifically for mid-career professionals with at least eight years of work experience and a desire to develop their strengths in general management, leadership and innovation.”

In other words, Alexia is soon going to exhaust me with fancy bidnizz tips. (My basic management tactic at all times: Scream quietly to myself, while smiling calmly and saying all is well.)

When I called her yesterday, she said that she wanted a change from running tech’s arguably largest blog and news site, which is owned by AOL, which is about to be owned by Verizon.

“I am very grateful for all of the support I’ve had from my team and the larger community,” said Tsotsis. “But, as we’re wont to do in life, on to the next one. This has nothing to do with the Verizon deal.”

Thanks for that clarification, Alexia, because I was def going to ask!

In all seriousness, over the years I have really enjoyed my professional and personal relationship with her, and TechCrunch has most definitely grown and improved under her leadership.

Her AOL boss Luke Beatty said Matthew Panzarino would continue as editor — he and Tsotsis have served as co-editors. He declined to say whether there will be more changes under the new rule of the phone company giant, mostly because one should never make such declarations (another management tip!).

“TechCrunch has evolved from more than a blog, becoming an authoritative and accessible site that is available in a broad number of formats,” he said. “We have moved it from a B-to-B site to a B-to-C one that makes tech approachable to a wider audience.”

For those who did not go to business school, that means the normals now like it as much as the geeks.

Tsotsis has been at TechCrunch for five years; this was her first post there. It’s titled: “Why Clicking On Cows Brings Us Closer Together.”

Heh.

This article originally appeared on Recode.net.