Professional Experience

1992 to present: Anchor, WINK News.

Awards & Recognition

I've been honored with much recognition, including the "Best News Anchor" in Southwest Florida, the Phi Delta Kappa Lay Person of the Year, the Quill Pen Award from the Florida Association of School Administrators, a "Woman in History" from the American Business Women's Association, the Library Advocate of the Year by the Southwest Florida Library Network and was voted one of the top Women of the Year by Gulf Shore Life Magazine.

News Philosophy

A news organization plays a very important role in society, providing vital information in times of emergency and keeping a close watch on the powerful while, at all times, being fair and accurate.

Hobbies, Interests & Community Service

For more than 15 years I've volunteered as a committee member for the Southwest Florida Reading Festival, helped raise millions of dollars worth of food for the Harry Chapin Food Bank, served on the local board of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and volunteered in area schools by reading to children and mentoring students.

Education

University of Wisconsin.

Likes best about Southwest Florida

There are so many things to love about Southwest Florida. The people, the beaches the sunsets. But if I had to chose one, it would be the weather. We are the envy of much of the country, most of the year, and that's pretty special.

Hometown

St. Anna, Wis.

Family

Husband, John; son, Nicholas; daughter, Isabella.

Gtramp is taking off. Photo via Ivanhoe Newswire.

Gtramp explodes on social media with jaw-dropping acrobatics

Do you know what Gtramp is? If you haven’t heard of it by now, you probably will soon because it’s hard to take your eyes off it! Gtramp stands for “garden trampoline” and it’s exploding on social media. But this isn’t your typical kiddy jump and bouce stuff. It involves teens pulling off jaw-dropping acrobatics […]

Social learning approach. Photo via Ivanhoe Newswire.

Study: Parenting strategies to improve behavior benefit older kids

You might have heard that to raise a child, you need to “nip” bad behavior in the bud early. But a new study shows that’s not necessarily the case. Is earlier always better when it comes to helping your child with their behavior? New research suggests maybe not! A team of researchers looked at data […]

A mother reads with her children. A daughter plays an instrument as her father looks upon. Photo via Ivanhoe Newswire.

Do parents play favorites?

If you’re a parent you’ve heard it before — when one of your kids gets something from you — money or a present, even a Slurpee from 7-Eleven, your other child immediately wants to know “where’s mine?” As parents, of course, we always treat all of our kids equally, right? Or do we? Of course as parents […]

Local school districts are trying to head off a hiring crisis

NAPLES, Fla.- Southwest Florida school districts are facing a teacher hiring crisis with hundreds of openings and few people available to fill them. The situation has grown so dire, representatives from local schools are travelling thousands of miles, looking for recent graduates who are willing to make the move to Florida for their first teaching job. Ian Dean, executive […]

Reading

Testing the Limits: Paying for school growth

LEE COUNTY, Fla. – The recession is over and Southwest Florida’s population is growing again. One trip in your car or one visit to a local restaurant is enough to prove that the economy is churning along. But with that growth comes tremendous challenges for local schools. WINK News spoke with Dr. Greg Adkins, Superintendent […]

Freedom Waters Foundation treats veterans to a day on the water

NAPLES, Fla – One hundred war veterans enjoyed a day on the water Monday courtesy of the Naples nonprofit Freedom Waters Foundation. Freedom Waters Foundation’s mission is to improve the lives of individuals with special needs and veterans by providing therapeutic experiences on the waters of Southwest Florida. Many of the veterans the FWF serves, suffer […]

Harry Chapin Food Bank looking for a new leader

FORT MYERS, Fla – The head of one of the most respected charities in Southwest Florida is stepping down. After eight years as CEO of the Harry Chapin Food Bank, Al Brislain is leaving the non-profit to run another food bank in California. Brislain came to the food bank in 2007 right before the recession […]

Bishop Frank Dewane speaks on “The Pope Effect”

VENICE, Fla – The leader of the Catholic Church in Southwest Florida has tremendous respect for Pope Francis and the feelings he inspires in the faithful. Bishop Frank Dewane has met the holy father on a couple of occasions, and says you can’t help but have the experience move you. “You know, if we look […]

Dozens of Southwest Florida’s faithful head to Philadelphia for Papal visit

NORTH NAPLES, Fla – 38 parishioners from St. John the Evangelist Church in North Naples flew to Philadelphia on Monday for a week of activities leading up to the Papal visit. Parishoner Rick Beebe is taking his family on the trip. “I think it’s great that we are able to do it. And I think […]