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.

Bruno Air owner and employees enter not guilty pleas in fraud scheme

Louis Bruno, the former owner of a multi-million dollar air conditioning company, entered a not guilty plea and waived his right to an arraignment Monday. Bruno was charged with 40 felony fraud charges, including a scheme to defraud and communications fraud. A lengthy probable cause affidavit details an elaborate scheme involving forged documents and notary […]

Police affidavit accuses AC company employees of elaborate fraud scheme

One woman told police she was pressured to tears into signing on a tablet. Another said she has multiple sclerosis and can’t even sign her own name. Others claim they were not told they were agreeing to around $50,000 worth of work to be done on their homes. Several former customers’ stories are laid out […]

Bruno to be released on bond after facing judge

The former owner of a Southwest Florida air conditioning business who was arrested on fraud charges is set to be released from jail after paying bond. Louis Bruno made his first appearance before a Lee County judge Wednesday morning. He’s facing up to 200 years in jail after 40 counts of fraud were filed against […]

Bruno Air owner and former employees arrested, face multiple counts of fraud

The owner of a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning company was arrested Tuesday after turning himself in on charges of fraud. The arrest of Louis Bruno follows investigations into Bruno Total Home Performance by Attorney General Ashley Moody’s Consumer Protection Division and the Office of Statewide Prosecution working with Cape Coral police. Bruno, along with […]

Are nursing homes and assisted living facilities prepared for hurricane season?

At this unprecedented time, when you cannot even visit a loved one in a nursing home or assisted living facility, its critical to make sure the facility is ready for hurricane season. Christopher Uejio, an assistant professor of geography at Florida State who works on health policy issues, said the state’s long-term care facilities are […]

Customers want a resolution to attorney general investigation into A/C contractor

When Debi Giardello first contacted WINK News in 2019, she was fighting to keep her home. Attorneys for Bruno Total Home Performance, a now-defunct Bonita Springs Air Conditioning company, had filed a lien on her property and were seeking to foreclose on it. Giardello said it started when a Bruno sales rep convinced her to […]

Nursing homes with most COVID-19 cases have history of infection control problems

Diana Bortle said she has been anxious ever since finding out her mother Shirley tested positive for COVID-19. Shirley Cliff is one of 52 positive cases associated with Manorcare Nursing and Rehabilitation in Naples. The facility has more cases than any other in Collier County and the second-highest number of cases in Southwest Florida. Sixteen […]

Dental practices push for more protective equipment

Dental practices around the state reopened for non-emergency care this week. They did so without access to a critical piece of protection — highly-sought-after N95 masks. We learned found dentists are pushing to get better protection Thursday. At the height of the coronavirus pandemic, U.S. Department of Health & Human Services made a list of […]

Morgan and Morgan ready to battle for business interruption payouts

Before he could even file a claim with his insurance company, a Port Charlotte dentist said his agent indicated that his income loss from pandemic shutdowns was not going to be covered under the terms of his policy. “Essentially they said no this particular insurance company doesn’t cover pandemics and neither does any dental insurance […]