Professional Experience

2016 to present: Investigative reporter, WINK News. Previously worked as a producer at KPRC-TV in Houston, WKMG-TV in Orlando and WINK News.

Awards & Recognition

  • Florida Associated Press Finalist for Investigative Reporting, 2018
  • Suncoast Regional Emmy Nominee for Crime News, 2017
  • Lonestar Emmy Awards, winner for Best Investigative Story, nominee for Best Business/Consumer Story, 2016.
  • Houston Press Club, first place for TV Consumer News, 2016.
  • Texas Associated Press Broadcasters, second place for news series, 2016.
  • National Press Club Award, third place for investigative reporting, 2012.
  • IRE/NICAR, Holly Wisenhunt Stephen Fellowship recipient, 2011.
  • Suncoast Emmy Awards, winner for Crime Story, 2008. Five-time nominee, 2010 - 2014.
  • Edward R Murrow Awards, 2008 and 2009 regional winner for Investigative Reporting.

Hobbies, Interests & Community Service

Cooking, fitness, running, yoga, scrapbooking,  reading the New York Times' travel section, dreaming about places to travel and sometimes going there, watching my husband golf, taking the dog to the beach, rooting for the Steelers and Nittany Lions, and spoiling my nieces and little ‘sister’. I'm also a Big Brothers & Big Sister mentor, volunteer at PACE school for girls and WGCU's radio reading for blind and visually impaired.

Education

Penn State University

Likes best about Southwest Florida

"The people."

Birthplace

Western Pennsylvania.

Reading

How a man with a substantiated child sex abuse claim was hired as a teacher

In 2016 a parent pleaded by email the superintendent of the School District of Lee County to look into a teacher working at Varsity Lakes Middle School for the safety of the children there. She claimed he sexually abused her son from 2007 to 2008 while working for the New Jersey Division of Youth and […]

Judge clears land deed for Luminary Hotel construction

Charles Powell’s family history is interwoven into the history of Southwest Florida. “Our roots and our lineage in this particular area is very deep,” Powell said. His family roots date back to when Fort Myers was a cattle town. His aunt and uncle once owned key pieces of property all over downtown. But it is one […]

At least 20 trespass incidents documented on SWFL school campuses in 2018

Schools across Florida have beefed up security in the past year: including surveillance cameras, new video door locks and the present of additional law enforcement on campus. “As of right now, there is not one unlocked door on this campus, until they unlock this front door to let somebody in, “ said Tony Pribble, the […]

Mugshot of Wisner Desmaret, 30, (Credit: Lee County Sheriff's Office)

Why was an accused police shooter still on the streets?

The man accused of killing Fort Myers police officer Adam-Jobbers Miller had a lengthy arrest record, and was apparently living in the country illegally. After the arrest of Wisner Desmaret for the shooting, Immigration and Customs Enforcement issued a detainer hold on him. A WINK News investigation found that the agency had issued at two […]

Selling vacant district owned lands would not fund opening a new school

Amid the push for a half-cent sales tax, the Lee County school district has decided to list some portions of vacant land. A total of 26 properties were purchased prior to 2008, but much of the land is in Cape Coral where there is not a need for schools. “We scrambled to purchase lands there […]

“Skim Reaper” is heading to SWFL and turning the tables on crooks at the pump

In a matter of seconds, crooks can compromise credit card readers at gas pumps, ATM’s and even store checkouts, but a new tool will soon help police, catch skimmers with just one swipe. Professor Patrick Traynor with the University of Florida studies ways to detect skimmers. “The bad guys are making these increasingly small and […]

Family says suspect has gotten away with murder for 14 years

UPDATE: After the first report on this story in May 2018, WINK News obtained exclusive interrogation video with murder suspect Terry Daniel McDonald. The video is from 2004, when McDonald had been detained by police in Corpus Christi, Texas. See the explanation McDonald gave to police while Mount was missing. It’s been over a decade since the man […]

Florida SouthWestern

Title IX investigation reveals inappropriate behavior by former FSW Provost

An internal investigation revealed allegations of sexual harassment and sexual assault by Florida Southwestern’s former Provost. Dr. Jeffrey Stewart resigned after being placed on administrative leave from the college over the summer. Five women were interviewed by the school’s Title IX investigator. They all claim Stewart said inappropriate things while drinking.  One of the women said, […]

Luminary hotel fight racks up $122-thousand legal bill

From February through the beginning of August, the City of Fort Myers paid lawfirm Knott, Ebelini, Hart more than $122,000 in legal fees to fight a quiet title action related to a proposed hotel. The city entered into an agreement with Mainsail Development in 2017 to build the Luminary Hotel adjacent the Harborside events center […]

Family says suspect has gotten away with murder for 14 years

NOTE: Due to the length of the Judge Brett Kavanaugh Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, WINK News was unable to air exclusive interrogation video of Terry Daniel McDonald Thursday. This video and story will air in a future newscast and be available online at that time. It’s been over a decade since the man who was last […]