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.

Cape Coral mayor accused of making deals without public knowledge

The mayor of Southwest Florida’s largest city is accused of trying to make backdoor deals. Cape Coral Mayor Joe Coviello is facing a civil infraction for violating the state’s Sunshine Law. The Florida Department of Law Enforcement launched an investigation after a series of events in December 2019 and found two violations of law. The […]

Cancer survivor forced to skip $2,500 shots due to cost

Colleen Ryan beat breast cancer in 2011, but found herself in the middle of a different kind of fight when she moved to Southwest Florida in 2019. Her bill for a bone density shot that used to cost $10 in Illinois, was $2,500. “(I have to get the shot) Otherwise I’m going to be at […]

The City of Palms Park is primarily used by FSW athletics. Photo via WINK News.

Council to decide potential fate of 8,000 seat City of Palms Park

It once was the spring training home of the Boston Red Sox, and millions of your tax dollars have been thrown at it. Now, the City of Fort Myers wants it torn down. The City wants to take possession of the City of Palms Park back from Lee County, but only after the County tears […]

Two employee deaths at nursing home cited for poor COVID-19 control

Two staff members from Heritage Park Rehabilitation and Healthcare who tested positive with COVID-19 died according to a Department of Health report that tracks deaths at long-term care facilities. The Heritage Park facility in Fort Myers also listed eight resident deaths on the most recent report. Several workers from the facility have been in contact with […]

COVID-19 cases spread at long-term care facilities despite lockdowns, testing mandates

Visitors have not been allowed inside the state’s nursing homes or assisted living facilities for months. Locking down the long-term care facilities to protect the vulnerable was once something Florida boasted about getting right. But a WINK News analysis of archived COVID-19 case reports for long-term care facilities in Southwest Florida show the virus is […]

COVID-19 units for ICU patients at NCH being prepped for potential storms

Southwest Florida hospitals are equipped with hurricane impact windows to withstand a Category 5 storm, but at least one had to take out some of those impact windows to rapidly turn rooms into pressured isolation rooms for COVID-19 patients. WINK News investigative reporter Lauren Sweeney went inside NCH North Naples to find out if the […]

Is a COVID-19 cover-up leading to case spread at a Fort Myers nursing home?

Workers from Heritage Park Rehabilitation and Healthcare, who wished to remain anonymous, told WINK News that they are not being informed about possible infections of COVID-19 at the facility. “We are walking into a room, not knowing if that person is positive or negative,” said one staff member. According to a report published Wednesday from […]

COVID-19 hospitalizations at NCH drastically decrease after mask mandate

A month after WINK News cameras first paid a visit to the COVID-19 floor and critical care unit at NCH North Naples, there has been a drastic difference. “When you were here the last time, NCH was around 60% occupied with COVID patients,” said Dr. David Lindner, the COVID-19 medical director for NCH. “At this […]

Thousands of SWFL businesses saved jobs with government program

David Rowe said he was put on this earth to be a dentist, not an accountant. But, in late March, the Port Charlotte dentist said he found himself in the middle of an accounting nightmare. The state ordered dental practices could only do emergency procedures. Rowe said he lost half his revenue. But he did […]