FishbowlDC has the memo from NBC D.C. bureau chief Mark Whitaker announcing several promotions.

Antoine Sanfuentes was promoted to Deputy Bureau Chief from his “decade as Senior White House producer.” He replaces Wendy Wilkinson, who is leaving the network next month.

Also, Albert Oetgen‘s role has been expanded to managing editor as well as senior producer for Nightly News and Today show. And Meaghan Rady returns to the east coast as a coordinating producer for those shows. Rady was Tom Brokaw‘s producer during his final years at Nightly News, later moving to NBC’s LA bureau.

Other changes in the full memo — click continued…

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FishbowlDC reports NBC’s Washington D.C. Deputy Bureau chief Wendy Wilkinson is leaving the network. Wilkinson, who has been with NBC News for 30 years, will depart at the end of March. In an email to staff, Bureau Chief Mark Whitaker calls Wilkinson “the heart and soul of NBC News in Washington.”

It’s been a remarkable career, and a month ago, Wendy told me and Steve Capus that she wanted to go out a high note and retire once the Inauguration was over. After prayerful discussion, we agreed-but only on the condition that she give us the benefit of her wisdom and counsel in managing the transition to a new generation of leaders in the bureau.

The entire email after the jump…

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Mary Dorman, who colleagues called “a behind-the-scenes force at NBC News in Washington,” died yesterday after a short battle with cancer. Dorman, who worked as assignment desk manager in the bureau for many years, could often been seen in the background of live shots on MSNBC and NBC News.

In a note to the staff, assistant bureau chief Wendy Wilkinson wrote that Dorman, “was making her own final arrangements as late as [Monday], wanting to make sure her funeral was on a Saturday so people would not have to miss work!”

Wilkinson’s memo, after the jump…

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First on TVNewser: Insiders tell TVNewser that NBC News senior VP Mark Whitaker will be named chief of the network’s Washington bureau perhaps as early as today.

The bureau chief position has been vacant since the death of Tim Russert June 13. Whitaker joined NBC News in May of 2007 from WashingtonPost-Newsweek Interactive, the digital division of the Washington Post Company where he was VP and editor-in-chief of new ventures. Before that, he was editor of Newsweek.

As the #2 to NBC News president Steve Capus, Whitaker was charged with oversight of NBC’s daily editorial and newsgathering efforts worldwide.

> Update: Confirmed. Assumes duties immediately. “Position Includes Executive Oversight of ‘Meet the Press’ and Network Election and Political Coverage.” Press release is after the jump…

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