Professional Experience

2021 - present: WINK News morning anchor
2019 - 2021: WINK News weekend anchor/reporter
2018 - 2019: WINK News reporter
Previously worked as a weekend anchor and reporter at KMIZ in Columbia, Missouri.

Awards and Recognition

2019 Suncoast Regional Emmy Award nomination for reporting on a "Bomb Squad Search at a Home in Cape Coral."
Two Heart of America Gold Awards from the Kansas City Press Club for a special report on "Surviving a Mass Shooting" and for several reports on human and sex trafficking in mid-Missouri.

News Philosophy

Be a voice for the voiceless.

Education

Ohio University, E.W. Scripps School of Journalism

Hometown

Canonsburg, PA

Hobbies and Interests & Community Involvement

I love soaking up the sun. You can find me relaxing at the beach or at the pool with a good murder mystery book. I enjoy working out and recently became a certified Les Mills Body Pump instructor. Being just a short flight away from so many beautiful countries and territories in the Caribbean, I love exploring new areas and cultures. Animals are my favorite. I am a volunteer at the Gulf Coast Humane Society and help other rescue organizations with events and fundraisers. I also volunteer with Best Buddies Southwest Florida and the Children's Advocacy Center.

Family and Pets

My husband and I are proud parents to two black cats named Isaac and Cleo.

Likes best about Southwest Florida:

The weather and beaches. We live where people vacation.

 

Could dead fish leave lasting impact in Saint James City?

Gene Gerov, of Saint James City, said dead fish started collecting early this morning outside his home, and it’s been getting worse over the course of the day. “We can’t be like this, If you look at that end and this end, we’re just, we’re surrounded with death, dead fish,” Gerov said. Piles of dead […]

Cape police officer gives home to dog found abandoned

A dog left abandoned out in the sun without food or water now has a new home with the Cape Coral police officer who responded to the call. Officer Joe Zalenski has a new partner. “Once I saw his personality coming out right away, I knew I wanted to be a part of his future,” […]

Are septic tanks contributing to the algae problem?

Some are asking the question, are the septic tanks in our yards making the algae problem in our waterways worse? Scientists say leaking septic tanks aren’t the sole cause of the algae, but do contribute to the problem. Conall Stapleton with Stapleton Septic spent the day making repairs to a septic tank at a Bonita Springs […]

Former Everglades City mayor pays bail following arrest

Former Everglades City mayor Sammy Hamilton, 84, paid his $90,000 bail Monday evening, according to the Collier County Jail. Hamilton was arrested Monday in connection with grand theft and official misconduct, Florida Department of Law Enforcement said. Hamilton is facing charges of one count of grand theft and 16 counts of official misconduct, according to […]

Owners pay $1,500 to get dog back after attacking a child

The dog that attacked a child in a grocery store parking lot last May has been reunited with its owners, for a price. MORE: Pit bull attacks 4-year-old boy outside St. James City supermarket Marilynn Martin said this particular case hit home for her. She says a pit bull hit her husband in Indiana several years […]

‘Totally violated’: SWFL woman scammed by thieves posing as her bank

Scammers are going the extra mile to steal your money. A Fort Myers woman says she received a call from her bank, alerting her that she was the victim of a scam. But it turns out, it wasn’t her bank that was calling at all. “People are out there to scam you. They hack everything,” […]

As Cape Coral development booms, wait times for building permits increase

Many Cape Coral homeowners and construction companies say it’s taking much too long to obtain the permits they need to begin construction projects. Nancy Ramos with Ramos Builders says their small family business is putting up 25 to 30 homes per year. “We’re happy to have such a boom again because it was really tough […]