Yvonne Nava is the KVUE family's newest member, joining Bryan and Albert behind the desk at Daybreak and Midday. She took a few minutes to share a little more with us about who she is and why she's excited to join the team.
I was born and raised in Laredo, Texas, but I have family all over the state. My parents are Mexican-American and originally my ancestors were from Spain and Italy!
I knew I wanted to be a journalist at a young age. I've just always loved talking to people and hearing their stories. No two are ever alike. I first began working in television while I was still in high school. My mother, who is a nurse, often did voice over work for a local public access channel (ITV). One day she invited me to come along and had me voice over a few segments. From there I was hooked. It all just felt very natural to me.
A few months later, at the age of 18, I started reporting for Telemundo in Laredo. While attending the University of Texas at Austin, I graduated with degrees in broadcast journalism and business. It was during my senior year when I was recognized by Hispanic magazine for being an outstanding role model for Latinas. After graduating from UT, I got my first anchoring job at KACB in San Angelo, Texas. My next move took me to KCBD in Lubbock, Texas, where I anchored the weekend evening news and covered many national stories, from deadly tornadoes to the Columbia space shuttle disaster. After less than two years, it was off to Tennessee at WATE in Knoxville, where I helped launch the station's weekend morning newscast.
My journey through journalism then took me from the mountains of Tennessee to the beaches of sunny South Florida. In 2005, I joined WPLG in Miami as a breaking news reporter and anchor. I covered everything from Fidel Castro to Hurricane Katrina. After Miami it was off to Connecticut where I anchored their weekday morning newscast, and instead of tracking tropical storms, it was wall-to-wall coverage of massive blizzards. I was also named one of Hartfords Top 40 under 40 given to people in Connecticut who are positive role models in the community.
My career highlights include traveling to rural Mexico, where we discovered contaminated vegetables were the cause of a Hepatitis A outbreak in East Tennessee. I also reported on the capture of Eric Rudolph (the Olympic Park bomber) in North Carolina.
However, as soon as I became a parent, everything changed. I now see life through my two year old's eyes, and I am really enjoying the view. It is my mission to make sure I raise the best son I possibly can. I want him to learn by *my* example, not just from words. I want him to be kind, sweet and to understand the importance of having a good work ethic. Who knows if he will grow up to become a doctor, an engineer or maybe even a journalist. What would make me the proudest is that he just ends up being a good human being.
On my time off, I love to go exploring with my husband and my son. We like to go off the beaten path on road trips, visit different museums and restaurants. It's all about finding a fun adventure for the three of us. And now that I'm close to family, you can definitely add football tailgates and backyard barbeques to that list.
I enjoy being active in the community. I think the number one perk of being on TV is being asked to participate in events. If we can use our recognizeability to help raise money for a good cause, I'm all for it!
In Connecticut, I volunteered with the West Hartford Support Group for the Connecticut chapter of the American Parkinson's Disease Association. I also worked with the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation and their Race for the Cure, as well as the American Red Cross, Lupus Foundation, Salvation Army and Meals on Wheels. I also enjoy mentoring young girls. I remember how impressionable I was as a teenager. It's important for them to know that they control their own destiny and that includes not only their career path but their overall happiness as well.
I certainly hope to bring a lot of energy to KVUE News Daybreak! Bryan and Albert are fantastic. My goal will be to make mornings a little cheerier for the parents watching at home. As a mom, I know how difficult it is for parents to juggle it all in the mornings, but I just want to brighten their day. Who says you can't get your morning news with a smile at the same time?
- Yvonne Nava
