This morning the following memo was sent to WaPo staffers from managing editor Marcus Brauchli, announcing major reorganization changes, including changes to personnel, coverage groups and the universal news desk.

Effective May 1st, Kevin Merida has been named National Editor, Emilio Garcia-Ruiz named Local Editor and Sandy Sugawara named Editor of the Universal Desk. Also, when WaPo‘s print and online desks merge, Scott Vance will become News Editor.

Brauchli will hold a town hall meeting today at 2pm to address any staffers’ questions.

To the staff:

Today, we are beginning a reorganization to create newreporting groups, streamline editing desks and anticipate the impending integration of our print and digital news operations.

The changes reinforce our longstanding belief in great reporting and writing as the vital center of The Post’s journalism. We want to empower journalists and encourage them to work across departments and platforms. In addition, we want to simplify the handling of words, pages, images and new media, building on the prescient move to “two-touch” editing under Len and Phil. Decisions about space and play must happen faster, both in print and online, and in a way that pulls together our now-separate newsrooms. A single editor ultimately ought to be able to oversee all versions of a story, whether it appears in print, online or on a BlackBerry or iPhone. Space in the newspaper and editing firepower in general should be allocated based on a day’s news priorities, not a predetermined formula.

These changes will alter the way we do things, but they will not affect the commitment to journalistic depth, authority and excellence that has defined The Post. Just the reverse: We think these steps will help us to adapt more easily to the economic and technological challenges that face us, while preserving the best of our traditions and values.

Memo continues after the jump…

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An internal WaPo staff announcement, from AME/financial Sandy Sugawara:

Congratulations to David Cho, who won the Best of Knight-Bagehot Business Journalism Award, which rewards the best work produced by an alumni of the Knight-Bagehot Fellowship. David won for his fabulous coverage of the credit crisis.