Kristina O’Neill was the editor of WSJ Magazine, part of Wall Street Journal Weekend. Deborah Needlman’s successor, she was appointed to the role in October 2012, saying at the time, “I am absolutely thrilled to be joining The Wall Street Journal, with its incredible reputation and reach WSJ Magazine is on a roll and I can’t wait to pick up the momentum and create content that further drives the conversation.” Her first issue appeared in February 2013.
O’Neill was intent on making the magazine into an image of her choosing. WWD reported her saying, “That’s the freedom of it. We’re not talking about a 145-year history,” referencing her prior employer Harper’s Bazaar. She has also expressed her desire to bridge the gap between the paper and the magazine, redesigning its logo and ensuring that the two complement rather than compete with each other. Under her leadership, the publication was nominated for awards for best cover and best photography in 2016 and 2017 by the American Society of Magazine Editors (ASME).
For the magazine's 10th anniversary, the magazine unveiled five covers and began making serious investments in digital in order to engage more often with its readers. O’Neill launched a newsletter to keep the conversation going in between the weekends that the monthly magazine is released. “The whole organisation is digital-first, and while we do this very special print product, we still want to be not just a one-time-a-month experience,” said O’Neill.
O’Neill is a veteran of the New York magazine industry, holding editorial roles at New York Magazine and Time Out New York, before she was tapped to become executive editor, the number two role at Harper’s Bazaar. O’Neill has also worked as Candace Bushnell’s assistant, whilst the author was at the New York Observer.
In April 2023, O'Neill stepped down from her role at the helm at WSJ magazine.
O’Neill lives in Brooklyn with her family.
