Professional Experience
2023-Present: Anchor/Traffic Anchor, WINK News
2021-2023: Reporter/Anchor, WINK News
2020-2021: Reporter, WINK News
2017-2020: Reporter/Anchor, KPVI News in Pocatello, ID
News Philosophy
I work every day to report the news accurately, compassionately, and with urgency. More specifically, as your morning Traffic Anchor, I want to make sure all Southwest Floridians are informed and prepared every morning as they head out the door and onto our roadways.
Education
I received my Bachelor of Communication in Broadcast Journalism at the University of Miami. I graduated in 2017. Go Canes!
Birthplace
I was born and grew up 30 minutes outside of Washington, D.C., in Gaithersburg, MD.
Hobbies, Interests & Community Involvement
I've played volleyball my entire life, and Southwest Florida is a perfect place to continue pursuing that passion! I've loved being a part of several local beach volleyball teams in Fort Myers. I also, of course, love hanging out by the beach and pool, enjoying Southwest Florida's beautiful ecosystem and wildlife at the Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve, and more!
Family & Pets
My family still lives in the Washington D.C. area, but I have my two adorable 5-year-old cats, Jack and Ollie, to keep me company!
Favorite thing about Southwest Florida
You can't beat the weather and the people! We live in such a beautiful and welcoming community, and I'm so glad to call Southwest Florida home.

Should panthers be evicted for new community in Collier County?

Development vs. wildlife: Should a 1,000-acre town be built east of Golden Gate Estates in Collier County? Those living in one community are in an uproar because protected Florida panthers already live there. Rae Ann Burton describes living in Golden Gate Estates as an escape. “The reason that people moved to rural Golden Gate Estates […]

Authorities search for 2017 murder weapon in Gordon River

The search for a weapon in a homicide in Naples turned up empty. A tip sent investigators to a river after a recent plea from Crime Stoppers on a 2017 homicide that left 25-year-old Franklin Francois dead. Investigators spent Wednesday morning searching for a gun in River Park East. Francois was killed in Nov. 2017. […]

marco island family

Marco Island residents fed up with overcrowding by strangers

A group in Southwest Florida is complaining that their island has become overcrowded with strangers. Some on Marco Island believe short-term renters are turning their usually quiet island into a party town. To some long-time Marco Island residents, these Indiana vacationers represent the ideal visitors. Shari Fletcher is one of those Indiana visitors. “Pretty much […]

Group calls Collier County deputy-involved shooting an ‘outrage’

“Outrage” is the only word being used to describe a deadly deputy-involved shooting in Collier County. A civil rights group says they dispute claims that Nicholas Morales-Bessannia charged at deputies with a gardening tool, and they want to know why it took so long for deputies to pull the K-9 off. The Coalition of Immokalee […]

March to a Million Meals: SWFL community collects enough for 23,000 meals

A community in the region went all in to help support families experiencing food insecurity in Southwest Florida. Grey Oaks in Collier County collected nearly 2 tons of food and $9,000 for Harry Chapin Food Bank of Southwest Florida. The effort was organized by Grey Oaks residents Lee Bewley and Tom Leipzig. “So the feeling […]

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Marco Patriots help 96-year-old get a COVID-19 vaccine

A 96-year-old woman is referring to the Marco Patriots as her saints. Rita Lachmund had been trying, without luck, to book a vaccine appointment through the Naples Senior Center for weeks. And, she’s been stuck in her Marco Island home for a year. So, when the Marco Patriots heard her story, they knew they had […]

helping get vaccien appointments

A Collier County couple helping others secure COVID-19 vaccine appointments

A Naples couple who is below the vaccine age requirement is trying to help neighbors and friends get appointments. Their retirement has now turned into a full-time job. A few times per week Maria and Andrew Mair get up at the crack of dawn. “We’ll be up at 5:30ish, get the computers ready, one on […]

Lipman Family Farms donates produce to Harry Chapin Food Bank

A large Southwest Florida business has a heart for giving and is making sure people who rely on the Harry Chapin Food Bank for food on their tables are getting more than canned goods. Lipman Family Farms has come a long way since Jaime Weisinger’s family started farming decades ago. “My grandfather and his two […]

Glue traps for pests could hurt SWFL wildlife

A device used to battle rodents in Southwest Florida could be hurting the area’s wildlife. The Conservancy of Southwest Florida’s von Arx Wildlife Hospital has treated three birds stuck to glue traps over the past few weeks. “No matter if it’s a mammal, a bird or a reptile, they all struggle and so they can […]