Professional Experience

May 2023 - present: Sports Reporter at WINK News

September 2020 – May 2023: Reporter at WINK News
Previously worked as a Sports and News Anchor/Reporter at WUFT News in Gainesville, FL; Sports Coordinator at ESPN Gainesville WRUF; interned at WSVN and 790 The Ticket in Miami, FL

Awards & Recognition

2020 Florida Association of Broadcast Journalists Award in Education Reporting
2020 Broadcast Education Association Award of Excellence (TV Sports Talent, TV Sports News Program, and TV Sports Story/Feature Short)
University of Florida Red Barber Award

News Philosophy

Every story must be told with honesty and integrity. It’s a journalist’s responsibility and privilege to share people’s stories.

Hobbies, interests and community involvement

Spending time with friends and family; and cheering on the Florida Gators, Miami Heat, Miami Dolphins and New York Yankees.

Education

Bachelor of Science in Telecommunication-News, University of Florida summa cum laude

Likes best about SWFL

Being a native Floridian, it’s great to be within driving distance to friends and family as well as everything the state has to offer. The people here truly make SWFL feel like home. You also can’t beat Florida in the winter!

Hometown

Fort Lauderdale, FL

Mailboxes

Mailboxes smashed and knocked down over the weekend in Cape Coral

Vandals knocked over and smashed about 20 mailboxes over the weekend along NW Eighth PL. in Cape Coral. Mark Fulkner is one of the residents that got his mailbox knocked down along with the original support beam. Fulkner said, “They didn’t take the post down. So I don’t think it was run over. I think […]

Cape Coral

New report on Cape Coral officers in Jeremiah Ballam Jr. death

An internal affairs investigation said police made mistake after mistake in March when they came across 22-year-old Jeremiah Ballam Jr. drunk on the street. Ballam Jr. was last seen leaving Backstreets bar around 3:30 a.m. on March 15 and was later found dead in a Cape Coral canal. His father, Jeremiah Ballam Sr., often thinks […]

Cape Coral Algae

Cape Coral sees blue-green algae pop up in multiple canals

Blue-green algae have once again been found in Cape Coral canals. Connie Rokicak spotted some blue-green algae specks floating in the water behind her home, and she was not happy. “I’m actually surprised it’s here this early,” Rokicak said. She says the only time she sees algae is when it gets really bad, as it […]

publix en cape coral

Cape Coral police release images of Publix indecent exposure suspect

Cape Coral police have released images of the man they say assaulted a woman inside of a Publix on Saturday. The man is also accused of exposing himself to the woman after he looked up her skirt and commented on how she looked. The incident happened at the Publix at 100 Hancock Bridge Parkway W. […]

Cape affordable housing

Cape Coral moving closer to all-ages affordable housing development

At Wednesday’s meeting, the Cape Coral City Council will look at funding a new all-ages affordable housing development that has been in the works since March. The 96-unit Civitas community to be built off Pine Island Road would be open to families of all ages. Typically, such developments are aimed at seniors, but this one […]

sidewalks

Cape Coral Mayor plans to build more sidewalks around schools

The city of Cape Coral is discussing funding for adding sidewalks near public schools around Southwest Florida. The Sidewalk Installation Program is an initiative in Cape Coral. Mayor John Gunter has a plan to add 15 miles of sidewalks throughout the city. Schools are the first place Gunter plans on building sidewalks. Gunter said, “If […]

Cape Coral police looking for man accused of indecent exposure at Publix

Police are looking for a man who they say exposed himself to someone at a Cape Coral Publix on Saturday afternoon. According to the Cape Coral Police Department, at around 1 p.m., an officer went to the Publix located at 100 Hancock Bridge Parkway W. in reference to a report of indecent exposure. The victim […]

Cape Coral

Cape Coral’s mayor says city is safe amid apparent wave of violent crime

Violence in Southwest Florida’s largest city, Cape Coral, is on the rise and the city’s mayor wants to ensure people know the city is safe. Over the weekend, there was a shooting at a Wawa off Veterans Parkway and Santa Barbara Boulevard in Cape Coral. Since Memorial Day, there has been a deadly officer-involved shooting, […]

Bill Hodges

LaBelle High School’s new basketball coach once coached Larry Bird

A new Southwest Florida basketball coach has a star-studded background. The new coach for the LaBelle High School boys’ basketball team coached Larry Bird. Bill Hodges coached Bird while he was at Indiana State in 1979. That team went on to play the Michigan State team that featured another future star, Magic Johnson. You can […]

FWC investigating after manatee dies in Chiquita Lock

A manatee has died after getting stuck in the Chiquita Lock in Cape Coral. A preliminary investigation suggests the manatee got stuck and drowned. And this is not the first time it happened. The discovery is fueling the city’s fight to remove the Lock for food over wildlife and boating concerns. The city has been […]