David Johnson is the co-anchor of Channel 11 News at 5 with Peggy Finnegan and co-anchor of Channel News at 6 and 11@11 with Lisa Sylvester. He also anchors the News on PCNC at 7 p.m.
David and Peggy are the longest-running anchor team in Pittsburgh TV history and together were named Broadcasters of the Year for 2016 by the Pennsylvania Association of Broadcasters, the first anchor team so honored. They also received the 2015 Press Club of Western Pennsylvania's President's Award for career achievement in journalism.David has worked at WPXI since January 1985, when he came to Pittsburgh from Atlanta. He anchored the noon news and filed reports for the 6 p.m. news. He moved to evening news anchor in 1989.
He was born in Jacksonville, Florida, and grew up near Daytona Beach. While earning a Bachelor of Science in Broadcasting at the University of Florida, David began his career in television. He's worked on the air in Gainesville, Jacksonville, Chattanooga, Orlando and Atlanta. It was in Atlanta at WSB-TV that David met his wife, Nancy, who can be seen on WQED during pledge breaks and cooking shows. The couple has two sons, Michael and Eric.
David has won an Emmy Award for his work at WPXI, as well as a number of Pittsburgh Press Club Golden Quills and other regional and local honors.
He has covered major national stories, including the Democratic National Convention in 1988, space shuttle launches, the 1989 San Francisco earthquake, the Oklahoma City bombing, and 9/11, among others. But he considers the Quecreek Mine rescue his favorite because he covered it from start to finish - and it ended with all nine miners alive.
Since 2002, David has volunteered weekly at the National Council of Jewish Women's Children's Waiting Room at the Family Court building, babysitting the children of litigants and jurors. In addition, David has a long history of volunteer work with the St. Barnabas Health.
David and Nancy are proud to call the great city of Pittsburgh their home and are delighted that their two sons are native Pittsburghers.
Lisa Sylvester co-anchors Channel 11 News at 6 p.m., Channel 11 News on Fox 53 at 10 p.m. and Channel 11 News 11 at 11.
Sylvester comes to WPXI from CNN, where she worked since 2004. There, she served as a cut-in news anchor and correspondent for The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer, as well as a Washington-based correspondent for Lou Dobbs Tonight.
Sylvester also spent four years working at ABC, where she served as a Washington, D.C., general correspondent and a correspondent for the network's Weekend News.
Earlier in her career, Sylvester worked as a reporter for KTVI-TV in St. Louis and WMBD-TV in Peoria, Illinois. She also served as a reporter for WKRN-TV in Nashville, Tennessee, where in 1997 she won an Emmy and an Associated Press award for a report on "Tornado Survival."
Sylvester has received multiple awards throughout her career, including the 2004 Business Emmy Award for the "Exporting America" series. She also played a key role in the coverage of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, which earned the network a Peabody Award in 2002 and an Emmy award in 2001.
Sylvester earned a degree in international economics from Georgetown University and a master's degree from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism.
Katherine Amenta is a co-anchor of Channel 11 Morning News.
In 2015, she won a Mid-Atlantic Emmy for coverage of the Franklin Regional High School stabbings. Her investigative and enterprise reporting has received several Emmy nominations since 2006 and she was a frequent winner of Maryland Associated Press awards.
She is a Philadelphia native and a graduate of the (National Champion!) Villanova University.
Katherine got her start in television as an associate producer at Comcast SportsNet in Philadelphia and as an anchor/reporter at WMDT in Salisbury, Maryland. Before joining WPXI, Katherine was a morning news anchor at NewsChannel 8 in Washington, D.C.
In her free time she enjoys going to Pirates games and spending time with her big Italian family!
Ryan Houston anchors the weekend night newscast at 5:30 p.m., 6 p.m., 10 p.m. and 11 p.m. for Channel 11 News.
Before coming to Pittsburgh, Houston spent 10 years covering local and national news. He spent three years in Cincinnati as the noon and 4 p.m. anchor. Houston also was the main anchor in Jackson, MS for two years. He got his start in Georgia where he spent four years reporting and anchoring. Some of his political reporting in the Peach State actually had city laws changed.
Houston is an Arkansas native and a graduate of the University of Central Arkansas. He’s the oldest of four boys.
In his free time, he loves to lift weights, read, volunteer and binge watch reality TV.
If you have a story idea for him, shoot him an email at rhouston@wpxi.com
Gabriella couldn’t be more thrilled to be returning to her hometown of Pittsburgh!
She is a Hampton High School alum, then went on to Ohio University, where she graduated with a broadcast journalism degree. Since then, she’s been pursuing her reporting career throughout the country.
She began freelancing at WPXI in April 2017, and became a full-time reporter in July.
Before moving back home, Gabriella worked as a reporter for four years at WTKR in Norfolk, Virginia. She lived in Virginia Beach, where she was just a block away from the Chesapeake Bay. While there, she covered countless stories, including the tragic murder of two WDBJ journalists.
The beach was a warm welcome after her first reporting job in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, where she worked as a reporter and fill-in anchor at WLUC. She loved exploring the UP, and trying new activities including snowmobiling and dog sledding!
But nothing beats being back at home, where she’s with her family and reporting for the news station she grew up watching. Not only does she love Pittsburgh, but the people here too, and she’s so honored to tell their stories.
If you have a story idea, please feel free to email her at gdeluca@wpxi.com
Melanie Gillespie is a Pittsburgh native, born and raised in Bridgeville and an alum of South Fayette School District.
She joined the Channel 11 team in July of 2015.
As a graduate of Kent State University, Melanie majored in broadcast journalism with a minor concentration in sports administration.
Melanie came back to the 'Burgh from WJAC in Johnstown, where she served as weekend anchor/reporter for 4 years. Prior to that, she was a reporter in Bluefield, West Virginia at the NBC affiliate, WVVA-TV.
She's helped to cover big stories like the Jerry Sandusky Scandal and the 10th Anniversary of Flight 93.
Melanie will be reporting out of the Westmoreland County bureau, and is excited to be back home, in the town she loves, and reporting for the station she grew up watching!
If you have any ideas, tips or comments, please email her.
Mike Holden is an Emmy award winning journalist who joined WPXI Channel 11 in August of 2016. His work has earned him a number of awards, including a 2015 Emmy as well as the Ohio Associated Press Best Reporter Award.
Prior to his arrival in Pittsburgh, Mike spent more than two years as a Reporter/Weekend Morning Anchor at WTOL in Toledo, Ohio.
He actually started work one day early, covering Toledo's water crisis - a news event that garnered national attention and prompted immediate changes regarding the water quality monitoring situation along the Great Lakes. His contributions to team coverage earned him an Emmy Award nomination.
Breaking news is by far Mike's greatest passion, and it is his goal to make sure you are well informed before you go to bed. His breaking news reports earned him a first place award from the Ohio Associated Press as well as an Emmy Award nomination from the NATAS Lower Great Lakes Chapter.
Mike is thrilled to be back in Pennsylvania! He started his on-air career at WJET in the "Flagship City" – Erie. While in Erie, Mike covered county government and courts, education, crime and the nasty weather. (Erie was dubbed the snowiest city in the country during 2013-2014!)
Mike has never been afraid to jump right into a story. (Literally... He cannon balled into Lake Erie on New Year's Day in subzero temperatures and trained with the Lake Erie Rescue Dive Team).
He even went undercover and lived as a homeless adult for two days to shine a light on the lack of bed space and resources for the homeless youth and women in Erie County. His investigation led to improvements in how the homeless register for care and get access to shelters in the city of Erie.
Mike graduated cum laude from Kent State University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Broadcast Journalism and actively participated in TV2 News.
Mike enjoys working out, spending time with family and friends and watching horrible reality TV shows. If you have a story idea or just want to say what's up, shoot him an email.
Amy Hudak is delighted to join the award-winning team at WPXI and call Pittsburgh home!
Amy is originally from New England and comes to WPXI from Hartford, Conn., where she anchored and reported the evening news in her hometown at WTNH. Before then, she worked at WHAM in Rochester, New York.
While in Upstate New York, Amy was the lead reporter for the high profile Craig Rideout murder trial, featured on Dateline. She also helped her team earn an Associated Press Award for breaking news for an active shooter on the beach.
Amy went to Penn State... We Are!... and was a pre-medicine major. She had hopes of going to medical school, before getting the news bug during an internship with Today Show health contributor, Joy Bauer. She loves her career and doesn't look back!
Amy loves running, yoga, a good cup of coffee and spending time with her rescue cat and dog, Murphy and Mac. She is excited to explore the Pittsburgh restaurant scene and enjoy Pirates, Penguins and Steelers games!
If you see Amy out and about, please say hi and don't hesitate to send story ideas or restaurant suggestions to ahudak@wpxi.com.
Amy is the Beaver and Butler County Bureau Chief for Channel 11 News.
Amy arrived at Channel 11 in April of 1995. She grew up in St. Louis, Missouri, and attended the Missouri School of Journalism at the University of Missouri-Columbia. She received her Bachelor of Journalism degree in 1990 and started her career as an anchor and reporter for KOMU-TV in Columbia, Missouri. She then went on to work at WBOY-TV in Clarksburg, West Virginia.
In Clarksburg, Amy shot and edited her stories as well as anchored the news. She then served as the anchor and host of the top-rated noon news and magazine show, Midday El Paso, at KDBC-TV in El Paso, Texas. Amy moved from El Paso to Kansas City, Missouri, where she anchored the news at KSHB-TV, and then joined the Channel 11 News team. Amy and her husband live in Butler County with their two daughters.
At Channel 11, Amy was commended by CNN executives for her calm, professional and accurate live reporting on the Wilkinsburg Shooting Spree of March 2000. CNN carried much of Channel 11's coverage of that live, breaking story which the Channel 11 News team was also recognized for with professional honors.
While in West Virginia, Amy was honored by the Associated Press with a number of awards including her local coverage of the Persian Gulf War, and an enterprise series about cops, cameras and the use of video equipment in crime fighting.
Amy says, "I want people to know that you can't take life seriously." She adds, "Anyone who knows me knows I'm not just the serious reporter you see on TV. I do my job well, and then go home to the most important things in my life, my family."
Angie is the newest member of our 11 Investigates team and is excited to join Rick, Aaron, and the rest of the team. Pittsburgh is her hometown, so she knows the area well. She grew up in McKees Rocks, graduated from Sto-Rox high school, and still has lots of family and friends living across the area. You also might remember her from her days as the morning anchor at WTAE in the early 90s.
Angie has a deep background in investigative reporting at stations around the country, including in Milwaukee, Tampa, and Indianapolis. She has been recognized with several national awards, 13 Emmys, and multiple other regional and state awards. Her work has sent bad guys to prison, changed laws, and help to restructure entire government agencies. She’s especially proud of a law that passed in Indiana called “Anthony’s Law” that was a direct result of her reporting on the foster system in that state. Anthony’s Law now requires background checks for all foster parents, something that was not in place when Angie began digging into the system and its problems.
Prior to returning to Pittsburgh, Angie did anchoring and reporting for Bay News 9 in Tampa, while also working at a law firm specializing in whistleblower cases. At the firm, she worked side-by-side with former prosecutors and FBI agents to expose fraud against the government. Their cases are credited with returning tens of millions of dollars to taxpayers.
Angie’s husband, Chris Jadick, is an accomplished journalist and communications executive in his own right. He served as a News Director in Louisville and in Tampa. He is currently the Director of Communications for Tampa Bay Area Regional Transit Authority. They have two daughters, Giavanna, who attends Duke University and Michalina, who attends Boston University. Angie now lives in the North Hills and hopes to bring some Florida sunshine home to the ‘Burgh!
Cara Sapida joined the Channel 11 News team in April 2009.
Before landing a job in her hometown of Pittsburgh, Cara worked as a reporter for NBC-2 in Fort Myers, Florida, and as an anchor/reporter for NBC25 in Hagerstown, Maryland. She kicked off her broadcasting career reporting and anchoring for WOUB-TV in Athens, Ohio.
Cara received an Edward R. Murrow award for Best Feature Story, as well as an AP award for tornado coverage.
Cara is a Pittsburgh native and a proud graduate of Woodland Hills High School. She holds a journalism degree from Ohio University’s Scripps School of Journalism, with minors in French and political science.
When she’s not working, reading or traveling, you can find Cara in the kitchen. She was in the 2010 Pillsbury Bake-Off Contest.
Since her start at Channel 11 News, Peggy has earned recognition in many areas. Peggy received the prestigious Carlow College Women of Spirit Award, and has earned various other awards, including the 1997 Leadership Award in Communications from the YWCA of Greater Pittsburgh, the Courageous Woman Award from Mom's House, and the Source of Life Award from Magee Women's Hospital. Currently she is involved with several charities, including Mother's Hope, Angel's Place, Family Resources, and Presents for Patients.
As a breast cancer survivor, Peggy speaks to many organizations about the importance of early detection through self- examination and mammograms, and informally counsels women about the disease.
In 2015, the Western Pennsylvania Press Club recognized Peggy and her co-anchor David Johnson with the President's Award, for their lifetime achievements in the field of journalism. And they were honored by the Pennsylvania Association of Broadcasters as the 2016 Pennsylvania Association of Broadcasters (PAB) Broadcasters of the Year. It was the first time that two people were honored together for the award.
Peggy feels the most memorable stories she's worked on are the inspirational weekly pieces for her Emmy nominated Proud to be From Pittsburgh series.
Being part of the longest-running news anchor team in Pittsburgh is a great source of pride for Peggy. Her proudest career achievement is being on staff to see the transformation of Channel 11 News from a distant third in the market, to an award-winning newscast with the respect of its competitors.
Peggy says, "When I moved to Pittsburgh to work on Channel 11 News, I could never have imagined the profound impact it would have on my life. I fell in love with a Pittsburgh man, married, became a mother of four children, and have enjoyed an exciting, enriching career."
Gordon Loesch is a Channel 11 News anchor/reporter. He arrived at Channel 11 in January 2004.
Born in Jacksonville, Florida., Gordon was raised in Michigan and graduated from Central Michigan University. He started his news career in 5th grade delivering newspapers!
In high school, he worked at local radio stations as a newscaster and DJ, and began his work in television at WWTV in Cadillac-Traverse City, Michigan, while still in college.
Gordon worked as weekend anchor and then morning anchor at WKBN in Youngstown, Ohio, and then moved to WXYZ in Detroit, where he was a reporter and fill-in anchor.
Gordon has won numerous Emmy nominations, Michigan Association of Broadcasters, Associated Press, and Golden Quill awards in breaking news, features and best reporter categories.
Among the most memorable stories of Gordon’s career is the Western Pennsylvania flood of 2004, when he and his photographer witnessed the dramatic rescue of a deaf and physically impaired woman who was trapped in a car. A police sergeant who couldn’t swim made the rescue.
Gordon went to Rome, Italy to cover the death of Pope John Paul II, reported on Pope Benedict XVI’s visit to Washington D.C., as well as the Sago Mine disaster and the Virginia Tech shooting massacre. He was one of the first reporters on the scene of the 2009 LA Fitness Shooting Spree. Gordon has also followed Pittsburgh sports fans across the country for Steelers Super Bowl games in Detroit, Tampa, and Dallas, and the Penguins’ Stanley Cup Finals in 2008 and 2009. Gordon was the only Pittsburgh television reporter in Vancouver, Canada for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games. He also took to the skies to pull 9 G's with the USAF Thunderbirds during the 2010 Wings Over Pittsburgh Air Show.
Gordon is married and lives in Washington County.
If you've read this far...you should also know that Gordon likes long walks on the beach, sunny days, and double rainbows.
Jennifer Tomazic joined the Channel 11 team as a reporter in May of 2013.
She moved "south" from Milwaukee, and hopes Pittsburgh winters aren't quite as cold! She knows they're not as snowy as Cleveland, which is where she grew up and discovered a love of storytelling in high school.
Jennifer graduated from the E. W. Scripps School of Journalism at Ohio University, where she wore many hats at the campus television station, WOUB.
Her first professional job was just up the road in Parkersburg, West Virginia. She worked as a morning/noon anchor and producer at WTAP.
From there, her journey took her to warmer pastures to Columbia, South Carolina, where she was the weekend anchor and Crime Stoppers reporter at WLTX.
But the warm winters only lasted a few years before Jennifer went back to reality and joined WDJT in Milwaukee. She worked her way up from weekend reporter to morning/noon anchor. Jennifer also reported weekly for her segment called "Making Milwaukee Great" where she profiled people and organizations doing positive things. It was during those tapings that she met people who helped her get involved in the community. She volunteered at the Milwaukee Animal Rescue Center and was a coach for Girls on the Run. She hopes to find similar organizations to get involved in here in Pittsburgh!
Jennifer has been nominated for a Southeast Regional Emmy for her anchoring and has received Wisconsin Broadcasters Association honors for breaking news and feature storytelling.
When she's not working, Jennifer loves running and skiing and can't wait to test out the slopes in Western Pa!
She's happily married to her husband, Jason, and loves coming home to her dog, Bailey, and cat, Nessie.
If you have a story idea for Jennifer, send it to jtomazic@wpxi.com.
Joe came to the Steel City after working five years as a news anchor and reporter at WIVB in Buffalo. Prior to that, he worked in Shreveport, La., Washington, D.C., and Bluefield, W.Va.
Rick Earle is a Target 11 Investigator for Channel 11 News. Rick arrived at Channel 11 in August of 1994 as the Westmoreland County Bureau Chief. In September of 2002, Rick began work with the Target 11 Investigative Team.
Rick was born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland, and graduated from Miami University of Ohio with a Bachelor of Science in mass communication. He started his journalism career on his high school newspaper and worked in radio during college. Rick's first job in television was at WNCT-TV in Greenville, North Carolina. He also worked at WBRC-TV in Birmingham, Alabama, before coming to Pittsburgh. Rick is married with five children.
In 1994, Rick received the Associated Press Award for "Best Spot News" for his coverage of a deadly Palm Sunday tornado. He was involved in the coverage of the Flight 93 crash in Somerset County on September 11th, 2001, and the award-winning coverage of the rescue at Quecreek Mine.
Rick says, "I work very hard to make sure the stories I cover are accurate, fair, and balanced. It's something I take very seriously."
Being a ‘Burgh girl at heart, Jillian is thrilled to be back in her hometown.
She grew up in the Wexford area and is a Pine-Richland alum. Even at a young age, Jillian knew she wanted to work in the news industry. After shadowing WPXI news anchors, Peggy Finnegan and David Johnson, she wanted nothing more than to be a journalist.
In college, she was a newsroom intern at WPXI. She graduated with a broadcast journalism degree at the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism at Ohio University.
Since then, she’s been pursuing her reporting career. Jillian was a reporter at WJAC-TV in Johnstown, PA for two years. Then, she moved to Florida where she was the morning news reporter at Fox 4 in Fort Myers.
But nothing beats being back at home, where she’s with her family, friends and reporting for the news station she grew up watching.
If you see Jillian out and about, don’t be shy and say hello! If you have any story ideas, email her at jhartmann@wpxi.com.
Lori arrived at Channel 11 in October 1998. A native of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, she attended college at the University of Pittsburgh, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communications. Lori also received her Master's degree in Journalism from Point Park College.
Her news career started in radio as a reporter at WBCO-WQEL in Bucyrus, Ohio. Lori also worked at WANB Radio, and at WKBN-TV in Youngstown, Ohio, where she was a morning anchor, weekend anchor, and reporter.
The stories that are most memorable to Lori include the Blizzard of '96, the last football game at Three Rivers Stadium, the crash of Flight 93 in Somerset County, and the verdict in the Ronald Taylor trial.
Lori's proudest career achievement is balancing her news career with raising her 3 sons.
"Working in TV news is challenging, exciting, and rewarding. You get to go to new places and meet people of all walks of life with each assignment," Lori says. "It's a career that I dreamed of as a little girl, and my dream has come true."
As a Pennsylvania native, Liz Kilmer is thrilled to return to the Keystone State and provide “yinz” the latest news as you wake up each morning.
Before moving to Pittsburgh, Liz was a general assignment reporter for WAVY-TV in the Virginia Beach area. There, she served as an evening reporter, presenting late-breaking stories nightly. (And enjoying winters warmer than experienced in her home state!)
This isn't the first time Liz has reported in Pennsylvania. Before moving south, she worked for WFMZ-TV in Berks County. There, she had the opportunity to cover several high-profile corruption investigations, from the indictment of disgraced Attorney General Kathleen Kane, to an alleged “pay-to-play” scheme among city officials in Reading and Allentown.
In 2014, she discussed a wrongful death case live before a nationwide audience on HLN. That case, involving a Reading mother who died in prison while serving time for her children's truancy violations, resulted in new state legislation.
Liz began her career as a multimedia journalist at WAND-TV in Central Illinois. There, she shot and edited her own stories while operating a bureau in Champaign.
Liz's work has been awarded by The Associated Press and recognized by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. Her coverage of a destructive hailstorm was part of a newscast that received an Emmy nomination.
But Liz got her first taste of broadcast journalism as a student at Ursinus College, not far from where she grew up in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. There, she interned at the CBS and FOX affiliates in Philadelphia. She also spent a semester in London, interning at a radio station and testing out a lot of fish and chips. Liz graduated Phi Beta Kappa, summa cum laude, with a degree in media and communication studies.
While not working, Liz is most likely serving in her other roles: foodie, television show binge-consumer, social media junkie and reluctant runner.
She is so pleased to be in Pittsburgh and hopes she did OK writing about herself in the third person.
Aaron Martin joined the Channel 11 News team as an investigative reporter in August 2015. Before coming home, Aaron spent nearly four years as an investigative reporter and morning anchor at WSLS in Roanoke, Virginia.
His start came in the "Great White North" of Michigan's Upper Peninsula at WLUC, where he worked as the Iron Mountain Bureau Chief for two years.
Aaron is a Kent State University graduate who spent a semester studying political science at the University of Ulster in Derry, Northern Ireland.
Born and raised in Mt. Lebanon, he's excited to be back home telling stories that matter to viewers.
A sports and political junkie, Aaron's always up for a civil debate.
Being home also means he gets to watch many more Steelers, Penguins and Pirates games!
If you have a story idea or just want to say hello, you can email him at amartin@wpxi.com.
Michele Newell is a true hometown girl. She grew up in Pittsburgh and is thrilled to be back home with her family. She joined WPXI-TV as a reporter in 2018.
Prior to WPXI-TV, Michele was a multimedia journalist in Columbus, Ohio. Before that, she worked in Steubenville, Ohio. Michele was also a producer at NewsRadio 1020 KDKA and writer for KDKA-TV.
Michele spent time in Port-au-Prince Haiti, where she covered the aftermath of the 7.0 magnitude earthquake. In scorching temperatures, she lugged around a camera on the back of an old pickup truck documenting some of the most hardest hit areas. She interviewed locals who lost everything.
Michele studied at Indiana University of Pennsylvania and has a degree in Communications Media.
In her spare time, she loves to mentor young women and enjoys spending time with her family. She is a member of The Pittsburgh Black Media Federation.
You can watch Michele’s reports weekdays on Channel 11 News "11 at 11."
Trisha Pittman is the traffic anchor for Channel 11 Morning News from 4:30 a.m. to 7 a.m.
Trisha arrived at Channel 11 in October 2002. A native of the Lehigh Valley in Pennsylvania, she graduated from Bloomsburg University with a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communications with a concentration in broadcast journalism.
Trisha's first job was with WAEB & WZZO Radio in Allentown, Pennsylvania. She then worked in television and radio at KDKA-TV in Pittsburgh. Trisha and her husband, Kevin, have a wonderful son and four dogs. She is a major sports fan and likes to get in a run when she can.
"I still get a little misty-eyed when I come through the Fort Pitt Tunnel or see a beautiful shot of the Golden Triangle on a Pirates, Penguins or Steelers broadcast. I'm so proud of Pittsburgh and the people who make it the best place to live, work and raise a family," Trisha says.
“Viewers want an accurate, easy to understand forecast for their neighborhood and dependable severe weather coverage that will help keep them safe. That’s what Severe Weather Team 11 delivers. We use the latest, most sophisticated technology like Storm Tracker Doppler 11 Radar, and that allows our team of meteorologist to track storms and to give viewers the information they need to know. ”
Chief Meteorologist Stephen Cropper has been delivering accurate, easy to understand local forecasts in the Pittsburgh area for nearly two decades.
“I’ve seen both the good and bad that the weather in this region can bring” says Cropper," and I understand how quickly the weather can change from one part of our viewing area to another.”
Stephen was on air alerting viewers nonstop for nearly 24 hours during the record breaking Pittsburgh snowfall of February 2010. He also provided life-saving information during the tornado outbreaks of June 1998 and April 2002. But it was the back to back record breaking rains from Hurricanes Frances and Ivan in September 2004 that Cropper remembers most.
“That was a great reminder that the weather truly does affect us all. It’s the great equalizer."
Stephen knows that viewers want an accurate, easy to understand forecast for their neighborhood and dependable severe weather coverage that will help keep them safe.
“That’s what Severe Weather Team 11 delivers. We use the latest, most sophisticated technology like Storm Tracker Doppler 11 Radar, and that allows our team of meteorologist to track storms and to give viewers the information they need to know. ”
Stephen has been awarded the American Meteorological Society Seal of Approval for Television Weathercasting. Stephen is also a graduate of the Duquesne University School of Law and has been licensed to practice law in Pennsylvania as well as The United States District Court, Western District Of Pennsylvania.
Stephen, his wife Mindy and their three children -- Chloe, Christian and Carter -- love Pittsburgh and they spend as much time as possible outdoors enjoying all four seasons.
Stephen serves on the Advisory Board of The Salvation Army and works closely with various other charitable organizations in the region.
If you have a weather question for Stephen or one of our other meteorologists, you can send them to our assignment desk and we will pass them along.
Meteorologist Danielle Dozier joined WPXI in April 2018. She’s proud to say she holds the CBM (Certified Broadcast Meteorologist) seal of approval from the American Meteorological Society.
Dozier comes to WPXI from Indianapolis, where she worked for three years tracking snow storms, flooding and tornadoes.
She started her broadcast career in Abilene, Texas, where she worked for more than four years. While there, she helped produce and edit an Associated Press award-winning 30-minute weather show.
Dozier also worked in Oklahoma City where she a was part of a team that won “Best Morning Show” from the Oklahoma Association of Broadcasters in 2012 and was nominated for an Emmy Award for coverage of the May 20, 2013, tornado. Dozier is a storm chaser and witnessed many tornadoes -- some violent -- during her time in Oklahoma.
She grew up in Chesapeake, Virginia, and has been interested in weather from a young age. It was in Virginia where she received her Associate of Science degree. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in meteorology from the University of North Carolina at Asheville.
Dozier loves to travel and has been to many different countries. She can also speak Spanish and enjoys baking, cooking and bowling in her free time.
Follow her for weather updates on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
"Having a chance to forecast weather in my hometown is a dream come true." - Scott Harbaugh
Scott Harbaugh is the weekday morning meteorologist for Severe Weather Team 11 and PCNC.
Scott has been back home in Pittsburgh since coming to Channel 11 in 2005. He is a graduate from North Allegheny High School and Ohio University, where he majored in journalism with a specialization in pre-meteorology. He continued on to receive his certificate in Broadcast Meteorology from Mississippi State University. Scott’s career has taken him to Zanesville, Ohio, Bluefield, West Virginia, Augusta, Georgia, and Rockford, Illinois.
Scott's favorite part of his job is social media. "There is no better way to get information out instantly," Scott says. "I love having the interaction on social media so people can get to know me and not just my forecast."
Scott considers the 'Snowmaggedon' the biggest weather story he has covered since returning to Pittsburgh. "It wasn't just the 21" of snow that weekend, but the four feet of snow for the entire month," says Harbaugh.
Jessica Faith is a meteorologist for the WPXI-TV's Severe Weather Team 11. Her forecasts can be seen on the noon and weekend morning editions of Channel 11 News and on the WPXI digital platforms.
Jessica graduated from Alabama A&M University with a Bachelors Degree in Communications and a minor in English. While at Alabama A&M University, Jessica interned with WAFF 48 News. She also interned at WSFA 12 News in Montgomery, AL while attending Mississippi State University. At MSU, she was a student forecaster for Campus Connect and Take 30 News. In 2016, Jessica received the end of the year award for “Best Meteorologist” from Take 30 News.
In 2016, Jessica began working at KLTV 7 News, the lead television station in Tyler, TX. While in Tyler, she had her hand in forecasting heat waves, severe weather, winter weather, and tropical systems, including Hurricane Harvey in 2017. In Summer 2018, Jessica was invited to help forecast at KOLD News in Tucson, Arizona for two weeks. She recalls air temperatures reaching over 100 degrees for consecutive days.
Previously, she was a part of the weather team at WAFF 48 News in Huntsville, AL. North Alabama had plenty of severe weather, but also droughts, floods, cold weather, and extreme heat. Returning to the city where she attended college, Jessica was heavily involved in the community where she gave weather talks, emceed events, and delivered speeches to schools.
Jessica loves being involved in the community and reaching people any way she can. In her off time, she enjoys cooking plant-based meals, watching scary movies, and playing tennis. Jessica is a newlywed #pandemicbride. She and her husband enjoy exploring western Pennsylvania, especially the restaurants.
Contact Jessica Faith at jfaith@wpxi.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Alby Oxenreiter is one of Pittsburgh’s longest-running, best-known and most respected sportscasters. Alby is the Sports Director for WPXI-TV, and the main sports anchor for Channel 11 News, and Channel 11 News on Fox 53 at 10 pm. Alby joined WPXI-TV in January of 2006.
A Pittsburgh native, Alby is one of 12 children, and a graduate of Mt. Lebanon High School. He attended Villanova University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications. His career in television sports started in Grand Junction, Colorado. He was also a sports anchor and reporter in Harrisburg and in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Before arriving at Channel 11, Alby anchored and reported on Pittsburgh sports for both WTAE-TV and WPGH-TV.
Alby is active with the Multiple Sclerosis Service Society, and with its affiliated charity, United Cerebral Palsy. Alby currently sits on the UCP/Class Advisory Board, and hosts the annual Alby Oxenreiter Golf Classic to benefit the MSSS. Alby’s also been involved in a board or advisory role for the Southwestern Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Cancer Society, Southwinds, the Arthritis Foundation of Western Pennsylvania, and DePaul Institute. Alby’s also worked with Saint Anthony’s School programs for children with special needs. In addition, Alby serves as the annual emcee for the Golden Apple Awards dinner, which recognizes outstanding teachers in the Pittsburgh Catholic Diocese. He also serves annually as Master of Ceremonies for the North Side Friends and Neighbors Sports Gala benefiting Cardinal Wright Regional School on Pittsburgh’s North Side. Alby’s a member of the “Champions Committee” of the Heinz History Center’s Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum, and the co-author of “Sports Memories of Western Pennsylvania.”
Alby loves anything to do with sports, and is very involved with family activities. He and his wife Karen have three children. In his career, Alby has earned four Golden Quill awards from the Pittsburgh Press Club, numerous awards from the Associated Press, and a Mid-Atlantic Emmy Award for Outstanding Individual Achievement/Sports Reporting. Alby has been nominated for more than two dozen Regional Emmys. Alby is a past recipient of the “Ethos Award” from the Villanova Communication Honor Society. The award is given to a Villanova graduate who demonstrates character and excellence in the field of communication, as well as a commitment to service through multiple projects and organizations. Alby has also been honored with the “Great Alumni Award” from Mount Lebanon High School, as well as the “Cardinal Wright Award” from the Bishop’s Latin School.
One of Alby’s more memorable stories documented his round of golf with Latrobe native and world icon Arnold Palmer. Alby also covered the Steelers in Super Bowls XXX, XL, XLIII and XLV, three Stanley Cup Championships by the Penguins, the past six playoff appearances by the Pirates, and several of golf’s major championships.
“I’m very fortunate to have the opportunity to live and work in the same town where I was born and raised,” Alby says, “and to report on the sports teams that I grew up watching.”
Jenna Harner is thrilled to be joining the sports team at WPXI, and to call the city of Pittsburgh her new home!
Originally from South Windsor, Connecticut, she grew up an avid sports fan, and pursued a career in broadcast journalism at Ithaca College. She graduated summa cum laude from the Roy H. Park School of Communications (Go Bombers!) She won a College Emmy a few days after graduation, before starting her first job at WENY-TV in Elmira, NY.
While in the Southern Tier, she won an AP award for Best Sports Coverage. After two years in Elmira, covering everything from high school football to NASCAR, she moved to Buffalo, NY, to join the sports team at WIVB.
During her time in Buffalo, she covered the Bills, Sabres and the University at Buffalo athletics heavily. She covered UB football’s historic win in the Bahamas Bowl in 2019, and the Dollar General Bowl in 2018. She also covered the UB women’s basketball team’s NCAA Tournament run in 2018.
In her spare time, you can find Jenna trying out a new local restaurant or brewery (send recommendations!), cooking, reluctantly taking a HIIT workout class, or watching sports she’s not covering. If you see her around, say hello! If you have a story idea, send her an email at jharner@wpxi.com.
Ruben started flying WPXI-TV's NBC Chopper 11 five years ago this past September (9/2014) when he first moved from San Diego, CA. From SoCal to the Steel City, he didn't know anything about Pittsburgh, outside of the Steelers, Pirates, and Penguins.
His previous news helicopter pilot experience was all in California:
• KGTV ABC News Sky10, San Diego, CA
• KFMB CBS Chopper8, San Diego, CA
• KXTV ABC News Sky10, Sacramento, CA
• KTVU FOX Chopper2, San Francisco, CA
Ruben took his first airplane flight lesson back in 1998, and he instantly fell in love with the world of aviation, quickly earning his Private Pilot License. He was doing all of this as a "hobby" as his occupation at the time was an Engineer, Staff/Manager at Qualcomm in San Diego. Not satisfied with that, he kept wondering what it would be like to fly a helicopter, to hover in mid-air like a hummingbird, as he put it. He decided to take his first flight lesson and sure enough, he fell in love, AGAIN. Ever since then, he kept flying helicopters earning his licenses and ratings hoping to one day get paid to fly like a hummingbird.
"There's nothing like flying above Pittsburgh and throughout Western PA during the seasons. I love it so much that I capture it in photos/videos as much as I can that I can't wait to upload to Twitter, Facebook and Instagram and share with yinz," Ruben said.
Licenses:
FAA Commercial Rotocraft-Helicopter Pilot
FAA Commercial Airplane Pilot - Airplane Multi Engine Land
Blair Miller can be seen weekdays covering news from Washington, D.C. Prior to joining the Washington Bureau, Blair was a weeknight anchor in Boston. Blair covered the 2016 Presidential election extensively, reporting from both political conventions and traveling across the country to report live from the Presidential Debates and primaries. Blair regularly reports from the White House and Capitol, covering President Donald Trump.
He recently produced and anchored primetime programs, "Boston's Bravest" that focused on occupational cancer in the fire service and the Emmy Award-winning "Deep Sea Drug War" that took Blair to the Pacific Ocean with the US Coast Guard to see their crackdown on major drug cartels. Blair recently appeared as a guest on the Dr. Oz show and was invited to the White House to talk about his reporting in "Boston's Bravest."
Prior to being in Boston, Blair was a main evening anchor in Charlotte, North Carolina. Blair's reporting has taken him to the scene of major news stories including the Boston Marathon Bombings, the Virginia Tech Shootings, and the Super Bowl. In addition to covering live breaking news events, he has traveled the world with the US Military reporting from Afghanistan, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Ramstein, Germany. Blair has also landed numerous exclusive interviews with newsmakers including Presidents and political candidates.
Blair has received many honors for his reporting and anchoring including seven Emmy awards. He has been honored extensively by local fire departments for his coverage of "Boston's Bravest." He was also named Anchor of the Year by the North Carolina Association of Broadcasters.
Blair recently joined the Board of Directors of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, a charity for Wendy's that focuses on help foster care find families across the United States and Canada. It's a passion that hits close home for Blair, considering he and his husband adopted their three children. Blair also sits on the Board of Directors for the Rescue Ranch in Statesville, NC, a non-profit foundation by NASCAR driver Ryan Newman and his wife, Krissie to help improve the lives of animals and educate the public.
Blair is a graduate of Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, Ohio. He lives in Northern Virginia with his husband, along with their three children and boxer dog, Laguna.
Samantha Manning joined Cox Media Group's Washington D.C. Bureau in October 2019.
She's responsible for covering important developments from Capitol Hill, federal agencies and the White House that impact local viewers.
Samantha previously worked as a reporter for the Cox station in Orlando (WFTV), and as an investigative reporter for the Cox station in Jacksonville, Florida (WJAX/WFOX). During her five years in Florida, Samantha covered the 2016 Republican National Convention and the 2016 Democratic National Convention. She also provided in-depth coverage of the multiple recounts in contested Florida races in the 2018 midterm elections which led to recognition by the Florida Society of Professional Journalists for best political coverage.
Samantha was a political reporter in Knoxville, Tennessee covering the Tennessee General Assembly prior to her time in Florida. She also often hosted a weekly political affairs show that dove into political topics and held lawmakers accountable.
Samantha is a New York City native having grown up in Brooklyn and Staten Island. She attended Hofstra University.
Jacqueline Fell came to the Washington Bureau in June 2012 from Orlando, Florida.
As Cox Media Group's Washington Correspondent, she's responsible for covering important local stories in Congress, the White House and explaining how decisions made by federal agencies impact viewers.
Jacqueline enjoys focusing on matters related to aviation and transportation, as well as veterans issues.
While in DC, Jacqueline has covered some major news stories, including President Obama's second inauguration, the Pope's visit and the Navy Yard mass shooting. She also was at the Supreme Court when major rulings came down on the Affordable Care Act, gay marriage, and immigration.
Growing up in Baltimore, Md., she had an early interest in journalism and hosted a news magazine show in high school. Jacqueline reported and anchored in upstate New York, Flint, Mich. and Dayton, Ohio. She spent much of her career in Orlando as the lead reporter on the Casey Anthony case.
Jacqueline's inside-the-courtroom-Twitter coverage has been recognized with various industry award nominations.
