Monique Hayes

Monique Hayes is the AM Broadcast News Director at WTOP News in Washington, D.C., where she oversees editorial content, breaking news coverage, and newsroom operations for one of the nation’s leading radio news organizations. Prior to joining WTOP, she served as an assignment editor and content producer at NBC Washington, and earlier in her career, worked at PBS NewsHour as an assignment editor.

Monique grew up in Arlington, Virginia, where she developed an early passion for journalism while taking a television production class at the Arlington Career Center. She went on to earn a degree in journalism from the University of Illinois at Urbana‑Champaign. Her professional experience spans multiple platforms, including network radio, local and network television, and digital, giving her a strong foundation in broadcast news, journalism ethics, and audience‑focused storytelling.

Monique is a member of the Washington Association of Black Journalists and the Radio Television Digital News Association (RTNDA). She is also actively involved with her local Girl Scouts chapter, supporting the organization’s mission to build girls’ confidence, leadership skills, and a sense of civic responsibility—values that closely align with her professional career in journalism.

Monique lives in the Washington, D.C., area with her husband and two children.