From the release:

NBC News announced today that Chuck Todd has been named Chief White House correspondent. Joining him on the beat will be Savannah Guthrie, who has been named White House Correspondent. The announcements were made today by NBC News President Steve Capus, and are effective immediately.

"Chuck truly made his mark in the 2008 Presidential election season where he offered unmatched political analysis. His objective, smart, real reporting has been honed through the years in Washington and makes him uniquely qualified to lead our White House coverage team," said Capus. "Savannah also emerged in 2008 as one of our primary go-to reporters. Hard-charging, dedicated and resourceful, she has earned a great reputation and the respect of her peers."

Todd will retain his title as NBC News Political Director in addition to his new duties on the White House beat. As part of this announcement, he is also being named Contributing Editor to "Meet the Press," where he will make frequent appearances to offer reporting and political analysis.

Todd joined NBC News as Political Director in March 2007. In addition to his on-air analysis, Todd has been responsible for all aspects of the network's political coverage, including maintaining contact with the campaigns and serving as the point person for political news and information. He is also the editor of "First Read," NBC's must-read guide to political news and trends in and around Washington, D.C. (www.firstread.msnbc.com), and writes weekly analysis columns for MSNBC.com.

Before joining NBC News, Todd was the Editor-in-Chief of National Journal's "The Hotline," Washington's premier daily briefing on American Politics. In his 15 years working at "The Hotline" or one of its affiliates, Todd became one of Washington's foremost experts on political campaigns of all levels. He served as Editor-in-Chief for six years. He also serves as a contributing editor to "The Atlantic Monthly" where he pens political essays, and he teaches a graduate-level political communications course at the Johns Hopkins University. In December 2005, Todd was featured as one of "Washingtonian's 'Best Of'" journalists.

Savannah Guthrie joined NBC News in September 2007, and has been a key member of NBC News' political reporting team. She has served as White House correspondent for weekend programming for more than a year, and contributed to all NBC News properties, including "NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams," "Today" and MSNBC.

Prior to joining NBC News, Guthrie was the legal affairs correspondent based in Washington, D.C. for "Court TV" from 2006 to 2007. Guthrie covered Congress, the Supreme Court, and high-profile court proceedings including the Zacarias Moussaoui trial, the Scooter Libby case, and the Samuel Alito confirmation hearings. From 2004-2006, Guthrie was a national trial correspondent for "Court TV." She reported on trials and court proceedings, including the Michael Jackson child molestation case, the Boston clergy sex abuse scandal and trial involving Father Paul Shanley, and the sentencing of Martha Stewart.

Guthrie joined "Court TV" from the law firm of Akin Gump Strauss Hauer and Feld where she practiced law, with an emphasis in white-collar litigation, from 2002-2003.

From 2000-2002, Guthrie was a freelance reporter at WRC-TV, the NBC affiliate in Washington, D.C. Guthrie was also an anchor and reporter for KVOA-TV, the NBC affiliate in Tucson, Arizona from 1995-1999, specializing in legal affairs and politics. From 1993-1995, Guthrie was an anchor and reporter for KMIZ-TV, the ABC affiliate in Columbia, Missouri where she anchored and produced weekend newscasts.

In 2002, Guthrie received her Juris Doctor from Georgetown University Law Center, where she graduated magna cum laude. She was a member of Order of the Coif and received the International Academy of Trial Lawyers' Student Advocacy award for her work with victims of domestic violence. She graduated cum laude from the University of Arizona with Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism in 1993.