Media Monday – Danielle Lerner
Today’s #MediaMonday gets an eeeeearly start! If you’re up before sunrise to watch the local news, you will see a new co-anchor on ABC 15’s morning news.
It’s Danielle Lerner, who has been with the station as a weekend anchor and reporter since the fall of 2014.
She has been anchoring on a temporary basis with the ABC15 Mornings crew for the past few months. The station liked what it saw and recently named her the co-anchor.
So, Danielle, time to share:
First let me say it is a dream come true to anchor mornings in my hometown! I grew up in Scottsdale and graduated from Chaparral High School (Go Firebirds).
My education and career then took me all across the country. I enjoyed studying and working in five different states, stretching from Washington, D.C. to California. I studied English Writing, Mass Communications and Spanish at Saint Mary’s College in South Bend, Ind., and went on to receive a master’s degree in broadcast journalism from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. I got to experience life in freezing temperatures and negative wind chills, but knew I’d always be more of a desert girl at heart.
From the Midwest, I trekked back across the country for my first job at KSBY-TV in San Luis Obispo, Calif. There I covered every type of news, from destructive wildfires, to the state budget crisis and the local county fair. It was an incredible opportunity to learn every single part of the business and learn firsthand the true meaning of connecting with the community you serve. It’s been nearly four years since I left and I still get emails and messages from viewers there.
Before coming home to Phoenix, I was a morning anchor at KVOA-TV in Tucson for three years. It was a fantastic opportunity to get closer to home, cover the issues that matter most in my home state and learn the ins and outs of a morning show. To be honest, we’re a rare breed! Our morning newscast goes from 4:30-7a.m., so I get in around 3a.m. That means I wake up at 1:30 a.m. every day and try to go to bed by 6:30 p.m. each night. I know it sounds crazy, but I love the fact that I get to help people all across the Valley start their days with all the news, weather and traffic they need to get out the door. Maybe even with a smile or two thrown in as well. 😉
When I’m not working, I love watching and playing sports, cheering for my favorite football team, The Fighting Irish of Notre Dame, exploring the great outdoors and volunteering with local animal shelters. Also a little fun fact, I’m a HUGE Golden Girls fan! I own every season on DVD (one of the best birthday gifts I’ve ever received). These days life is also busy with wedding planning! My fiancé is from Phoenix, too, and we can’t wait to celebrate our big day with family and friends in our hometown this October.
At ABC 15 we strive every day to take action for our viewers. To be their advocates and do everything and anything we can to make Arizona a better place to live. I am so proud to be part of such an amazing team and look forward to getting to know our viewers even better as time goes on!
Feel free to email me at Danielle.lerner@abc15.com, follow me on Twitter @DanielleLerner or “Like” me on Facebook- www.facebook.com/DanielleLernerTV. I would love to hear from you!
Thank you so much for welcoming me into your homes and your lives! It is a true honor! 🙂
