Tod Robberson, 53, joined the editorial staff of The Dallas Morning News in 2006 after working more than 25 years as a foreign correspondent and international-affairs editor for The News, The Washington Post and Reuters news agency. He has lived in Lebanon, Mexico, El Salvador, Panama, Colombia and United Kingdom, and covered at least eight major armed conflicts. Tod speaks Spanish and Arabic, holds a bachelor’s degree in communication/journalism from Texas Tech University and a master’s in Arab Studies from Georgetown University. He has won awards for investigative journalism and reporting on international human-smuggling rings. Tod draws upon his experience writing about the suffering behind wars, natural disasters and Third World poverty to help Dallas Morning News readers understand the human drama unfolding in our own neighborhoods.

Colleen McCain Nelson is an editorial writer at The Dallas Morning News. Since joining the editorial board in May 2006, she has led the newspaper’s clean-air crusade, shining a spotlight on failings of the state’s environmental laws and raising questions about proposed power plants. She also has been the board’s eyes and ears at Dallas City Hall, offering regular commentary about city policies and politics. In addition to writing staff editorials, Nelson has contributed occasional columns and essays on topics ranging from the use and abuse of curse words to the agony and the ecstasy of running a marathon.

Before making the switch to the opinion pages, Nelson worked as a political reporter and spent several years on the campaign trail with local, state and national candidates. In 2004, she criss-crossed the country with John Kerry, camped out in Iowa with John Edwards and snagged a seat on Air Force One. In addition to recounting life on the road for the Morning News, Nelson provided insights about the presidential campaign on BBC America. She joined the Morning News in 2000 after writing about politics and government at the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and The Wichita Eagle. Nelson is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of the University of Kansas.

William McKenzie is an editorial columnist for The Dallas Morning News. He joined the Morning News editorial staff in July 1991 after spending 12 years in Washington, D.C.

The Fort Worth native writes editorials most often on Congress and the presidency, Texas government, religion and politics, water issues and education reform. The University of Texas graduate also writes a weekly political column that has appeared in dozens of newspapers nationwide.

From 1981 to 1991, he edited the Ripon Forum, a progressive Republican journal of opinion. In 1980, he served as deputy research director of John Anderson’s presidential campaign. And in 1988, he edited “A Newer World,” a collection of political essays.

Mr. McKenzie’s journalistic credits include winning multiple awards from the Texas Headliners Foundation, the Southern Newspaper Publishers Association and the Dallas Press Club. In 1999 and 2000, he served as a Pulitzer Prize juror. And he has appeared on NPR, MSNBC and various radio and television talk shows.

Mr. McKenzie’s civic responsibilities include serving as a Presbyterian elder. He also has been an active volunteer and board member for homeless groups in Dallas and Washington, D.C. He, his wife Jennifer Nagorka and their twin children reside in Dallas.