Professional Experience

October 2021 to present: Reporter, WINK News. Previously worked at WTAJ in Altoona, Pennsylvania as a reporter and interned with CBS4 in Gainesville, Florida.

News Philosophy

People may forget what you said, but they will never forget how you made them feel.

Hobbies, Interests & Community Involvement

In my free time, you can find me spending time with friends and family, exercising, or visiting the beach.

Education

I graduated from the University of Florida in May of 2020 with a Bachelor's degree in Telecommunications on the news track and a certificate in Meteorology and Climatology. Go Gators!

Likes best about Southwest Florida

The sunsets

Hometown

Coral Springs, FL

 

Travelers frustrated a day after a disabled plane shuts down RSW

Things are up and running again at Southwest Florida International Airport after a disabled plane shut down the airport for hours on Tuesday. The impacts from the plane are still being felt. RSW is playing catch-up, and this really has a lot of travelers frustrated. “There was a window, you could actually see the plane. […]

Fort Myers Mega Millions ticket hits the jackpot

A person in Fort Myers gets a life-changing win in the wake of Hurricane Ian. A lottery ticket sold in Fort Myers matched all six numbers in last week’s Mega Millions drawing. That ticket is worth more than $200 million. That big score is all the buzz at the 7-Eleven on Colonial Boulevard and Metro […]

Disabled plane causes delays, reroutes flights at RSW

Two flat tires on a plane cause a mess for passengers trying to get to Southwest Florida International Airport on Tuesday. Update: according to SWFL Int’l Airport, as of 8:10 p.m. on Tuesday night, the United Airlines aircraft has been removed. Flights at RSW will resume on Tuesday night, you can reach out to your […]

Englewood mobile home park destroyed after Ian

Mobile Gardens in Englewood was hit hard by Hurricane Ian. Most of the 240 mobile homes there are totaled or have significant damage. It’s enough for some to think they can never rebuild and that it’s perhaps time to move on. But the community is now rallying around one another, keeping everyone fed, clean and […]

Arcadia woman giving back to her community despite losing her home

Arcadia suffered from severe flooding and damage after Hurricane Ian. Now, a group is delivering supplies to the people who need them. Giselle Rattis always put others before herself, and helping those after Hurricane Ian is no different. “We all been through a lot lately, you know, so a lot has happened to everyone,” said […]

gas station

Southwest Floridians struggling to find gas before Hurricane Ian

Tolls are suspended on Florida’s west coast as people plan for Hurricane Ian. People are lining up at gas stations today to prepare to evacuate, leaving some stations without gas. There is no panic at the pump just yet. Plenty of stations still have gas, but beware, some are running low. No gas, that’s what […]

Pannone

Estero father’s family hopes they can help find him a new kidney

An Estero father of two with kidney disease is in need of a new kidney. His 13-year-old and 10-year-old kids are hoping to spread the word and find him a donor. This is the poster they made for their dad. It says their dad, Mario Pannone, is the best dad in the whole world and […]

Junior Olympics

6-year-old from Charlotte County competes in AAU Junior Olympics against 8-year-olds

A 6-year-old in Charlotte County is breaking records against kids years older than him just two months after he started running track. Traiden McClary is the youngest kid in Charlotte County to go to the AAU Junior Olympics in track and field. An athlete since he was only 2 years old and carrying a football […]

Talking to kids about stress, gun safety after multiple SWFL school threats

Southwest Florida has seen eight school threats in only five weeks, and those are just the ones we know about. What’s going on with our children, and what can we do to help them? Experts say stress is a major factor in a lot of cases they’re seeing. WINK News spoke with Ariella VanHara, the […]

1 person killed in shooting on Jersey Road in Lehigh Acres

Lee County homicide detectives are investigating a deadly shooting on East Jersey Road in Lehigh Acres on Thursday morning. The Lee County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed that one person is dead. The scene is secure and detectives will be there throughout the morning. One neighbor tells WINK News that she heard gunshots. “I heard two […]