Mike Buresh is chief meteorologist at Action News Jax.
He anchors the 5, 6, 6:30 and 11 p.m. newscasts on WJAX and the 6:30 and 10 p.m. newscasts on WFOX and can be heard daily on News 104.5 WOKV.
Buresh is a self-professed "weather holic" and his fascination with weather developed at a very young age while growing up in rural Iowa. As early as the second grade, Mike's mom says he was drawing weather maps and "always looking at the sky."
Mike's passion for weather continues to this day as Mike eats, drinks, breathes and - yes - sleeps weather. Or as he likes to call it: "All the Weather, All the Time!"
Mike graduated from Iowa State University in 1987 but began his college studies at Oklahoma University where he became an experienced "storm chaser" in addition to working at the National Weather Service.
Shortly after graduating, Mike earned the American Meteorological Society's "Seal of Approval" and has also achieved his Certification for Broadcast Meteorologist which certifies that Mike meets specific educational and experience criteria and has passed rigorous testing in his knowledge and communication of meteorology and related sciences needed to be an effective broadcast meteorologist.
Buresh began his television meteorology career at WHO-TV in Des Moines, Iowa and most recently at WKRC-TV in Cincinnati, Ohio before coming to the First Coast. Mike has calmly, effectively and accurately warned, tracked and informed viewers about tornadoes, waterspouts, floods and many local tropical cyclones including hurricanes Irma and Matthew, Bonnie, Charley, Frances, Jeanne, Fay, Beryl, Debby and Andrea to name just a few.
Jacksonville's Most Accurate Weather
Mike and his First Alert forecast have been rated as the "Most Accurate" in the Jacksonville television market according to the independent service "WeatheRate".
If you would like the most accurate chief meteorologist to visit your school, club or civic organization, email Mike at mburesh@ActionNewsJax.com. Mike is also an active member of the Jacksonville Salvation Army Advisory Board.
He has traveled extensively including trips to Australia, Asia, Central and South America, Galapagos Islands and three times to Africa.
When Mike isn't forecasting your weather he enjoys golf, basketball, football, swimming, water skiing, the beach, reading, community outreach and, most of all, spending time with his lovely wife, daughters and "best friend", Opie, the dog.
Mike is an avid writer and has a large following in the blog-o-sphere -- "Buresh Blog" and "Talking the Tropics With Mike" (hurricane season June 1st-Nov. 30th).
Garrett Bedenbaugh is a First Alert Meteorologist for Action News Jax.
You can catch his forecasts on CBS47 and FOX30 Action News Jax This Morning from 4:30 AM to 9 AM and CBS47 Action News Jax at Noon Monday through Friday.
Garrett joined the First Alert Weather Team in May 2014 as Weekend Meteorologist and has known he wanted to be a "weatherman" on television since he was in the third grade. He once was afraid of storms. Now he tracks them down to street level on First Alert Doppler HD!
Originally from Clinton, South Carolina, he obtained his Bachelor of Science degree in Meteorology from The University of North Carolina at Charlotte.
He began his career as a meteorologist at the local FOX affiliate in Columbia, South Carolina in 2012.
His favorite aspect of meteorology is tropical storms and hurricanes. Garrett loves tropical forecasting which is why he loves the Jacksonville area and the weather that we see here so often during the spring and summer.
He is a Certified Broadcast Meteorologist (CBM) from the American Meteorological Society and is also a member of the National Weather Association.
Garrett is very active on social media and loves seeing all of the #FirstAlertWX photos and videos from viewers in northeast Florida and southeast Georgia.
In his free time, you will find him at the gym, exploring northeast Florida, checking out community events, visiting family and friends, following his favorite sports teams, and talking about his favorite subject: weather.
Corey Simma is a First Alert Meteorologist for Action News Jax.
Corey joined the First Alert weather team in December of 2017, and anchors the Saturday and Sunday morning newscasts on CBS47 and FOX30. He is a Certified Broadcast Meteorologist (CBM) from the American Meteorological Society.
Born and raised in Oklahoma, Corey's love for the weather began at a very young age.
Storms and big events piqued his interest, which grew into a love and respect during college.
Corey attended the University of Oklahoma, where he received his Bachelor of Science in Meteorology with a Minor in Mathematics.
While at OU, Corey worked on various research projects with mobile Doppler radars - including cloud chemistry, tornadoes, hurricanes, and even lightning. Corey spent three summers in Starke and Gainesville providing radar coverage for University of Florida engineers conducting rocket launches to induce lightning strikes!
Corey began his on-air career in 2014 in Amarillo, TX at the NBC affiliate.
Corey is thrilled to be in Jacksonville covering the weather in Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgia! Feel free to drop by his Twitter page or email him at csimma@actionnewsjax.com and say hi!
When he's not at the station, you'll find Corey playing video games, listening to music and playing music, watching college football or the OKC Thunder or boogie boarding at the beach.
Phil Amato co-anchors Action News This Morning and Action News Jax at Noon.
Phil joined Action News Jax in October 2014 with more than 20 years of experience in local television.
He enjoys waking up Jacksonville residents with a dynamic, fast-paced newscast.
Phil got his start in Billings, Montana in 1984 where he anchored the weekend newscast and was a reporter during the week.
He moved to Boise, Idaho a few years later and was the main anchor for KBCI-TV.
Phil has been a fixture in Jacksonville since 1994. He enjoys reporting about Jacksonville’s history. He worked on the team that launched the Historic Jacksonville Main Street Cruise and has a passion for cars.
He’s married to his beautiful wife Debra and has two children.
John Bachman is an evening anchor at Action News Jax.
He anchors the 5, 6 and 11 p.m. weekday newscasts on WJAX and the 6:30 and 10 p.m. newscasts on WFOX.
News runs in my blood. I grew up in a newsroom with my dad, also John Bachman, who was in the business for about 40 years. In fact, my dad even worked with our Chief Meteorologist Mike Buresh back in the '80s in Des Moines, Iowa! I like to remind Mike of that regularly!
I didn’t always want to follow in my dad’s footsteps. Despite loving the newsroom energy, and following my dad to St. Olaf College, I thought I wanted to be a doctor. I was pre-med, a biology major. I took the MCAT to get into medical school. At about that time, though, I was offered a chance to get into TV. I took an internship at KELO-TV in Sioux Falls, and after a few months they hired me. From there, I went to Raleigh, North Carolina, and WRAL-TV. After four great years, I had the opportunity to go to WSB-TV in Atlanta, our sister station. I reported and anchored there for seven years.
While I was at St. Olaf College, I played golf and baseball. More importantly, though, I met my wife, Jen. I convinced her to go out with me, and a year after graduation we got married. We live in St. Johns County and have three amazing girls.
I've been fortunate to cover some important stories to Jacksonville. Right before Florida voted on Amendment 2, medical marijuana, I flew to Los Angeles to investigate how their similarly written law worked. I exposed how easy it was to buy marijuana, as someone from out of state and with no legitimate medical reason. I also went to Wisconsin, where crews are building Littoral Combat Ships headed for homeport in Jacksonville starting in 2016. I took viewers into the unfinished USS Little Rock--the first ship headed our way. I also talked to Mayport business owners who can't wait for the influx of people and millions of dollars into our local economy.
I love raising my family in the Jacksonville community. I serve on the Make-A-Wish Advisory Committee for NE Florida. I'm on the board of Day1 media ministry. I look forward to learning about getting involved with other great organizations here in Northeast Florida. I hope to see you at your next event!
When I’m not working or chasing my girls, I’m busy running after Teddy Roosevelt, my golden retriever! I also love to chase that little white ball. I’m a certified golf and baseball nut. I try to carve out time to read—actual books—not on a tablet. I like to physically turn the pages—preferably a presidential biography. Now that I am in Jacksonville, I've started to learn how to surf. What a workout!
Ben Becker is a weekend anchor and reporter for Action News Jax.
He co-anchors CBS47 and FOX30 on weekend evenings.
Becker came to Action News Jax from CBS12 in West Palm Beach, where he served as an anchor/reporter covering Florida politics and investigations into public safety and government waste.
Before that, he worked at ESPN in Bristol, Connecticut, where he was an anchor on ESPNews and ESPN Classic.
Becker hosted various programs, including the weekday afternoon Hot List, the weeknight Pregame, Gametime, Postgame and The Blitz.
Before ESPN, Becker served as sports director and anchor at WPTV in West Palm Beach, Florida.
Becker also was a sports anchor and reporter at WINK in Fort Myers, Florida, and sports director and anchor at KDRV in Medford, Oregon.
Becker graduated with a bachelor of arts degree in broadcast journalism from American University in Washington, D.C.
He began his career as a sports producer at WJLA in Washington, D.C.
Becker’s interests include golf and many charitable causes, including Chai Lifeline and mentoring emerging broadcasters.
Becker and his family love calling the Jacksonville area home.
Letisha Bereola anchors Action News Jax This Morning.
She joined CBS47/FOX30 Action News Jax in October 2014 as a reporter and was weekend evening anchor before joining the morning team.
Before moving to Jacksonville, Letisha worked at WALA FOX10 News in Mobile, Alabama where she was an anchor and reporter for three years.
She started her career as a reporter at WCTV in Tallahassee, Florida.
During her time in Jacksonville, Letisha has been at the forefront of high-profile breaking news including the discovery of Kamiyah Mobley, the newborn stolen from a Jacksonville hospital and found 18 years later, Hurricane Matthew and Hurricane Irma and the Florida State University campus library shooting.
In Mobile, Letisha extensively covered the impacts of a foul chemical smell and its link to a major gas company and the heartbreaking effects of synthetic marijuana in South Alabama.
Letisha has had some incredible opportunities during her time at Action News Jax, including covering a local American Idol contestant in Los Angeles (#TeamTyanna) and rappelling down a downtown building — live — to help raise money for Boys Scout of America.
In 2016, Letisha was named a Black Pages “Florida Top 20 under 40” for her work in Jacksonville and accomplishments, including becoming the first Florida A&M University broadcast journalism student to land a reporter position in a Top 60 market right out of college.
Letisha was recognized in New York City at the 2017 Black Women in Media awards, where she was given the “Influencer” award.
Letisha was born and raised in Columbus, Ohio and moved to small town Florida when she was a teenager.
When she’s not chasing stories, she’s chasing her toddler Miles, reading books, hanging with her husband and trying out new recipes.
Courtney Cole anchors Action News Jax This Morning on the weekends and reports during the week. She joined the Action News Jax team as general assignment reporter in March 2018.
Prior to coming to work in Jacksonville, she worked as an Anchor/Producer and Reporter at WSAV News 3 in Savannah.
She called Georgia home for three years. While she was working there, she was a part of the team that helped launch the weekend morning newscasts. She also played a role in team coverage for Hurricane Matthew and Hurricane Irma.
On the lighter side of things, Courtney had the pleasure of covering the biggest celebration in Savannah, (and arguably one of the best in the world!), the St. Patrick’s Day Parade, and working with cast and crew of Chicago P.D., Chicago Fire, and Chicago Med.
While Courtney Cole is a native Chicagoan herself, this isn’t her first time working in the Sunshine State. Before beginning her career on-air, she worked behind the scenes, wearing many hats at WPTV in West Palm Beach
Courtney is a Hampton University alumna (#GoPirates!) is thrilled to return to Florida as a reporter and excited to call Jacksonville home.
When she’s not reporting, she ’s always down to try a new restaurant (or recipe!), get lost in a good book, travel, hang out with family and friends -- and making new ones!
Tenikka Hughes is an evening anchor at Action News Jax.
She anchors the 5, 6 and 11 p.m. weekday newscasts on CBS47 and the 6:30 and 10 p.m. newscasts on FOX30.
Tenikka is an Emmy-nominated journalist and a Florida Associated Press Broadcasters Award recipient.
She is also proud of her contribution to the Action News Jax team's regional Edward R. Murrow Award for Overall Excellence in Large Market Television. You can often find Tenikka spending time in local classrooms, promoting youth literacy and education. Tenikka also enjoys connecting with viewers at community events across the area.
Tenikka regularly volunteers her time to read to children at local schools and day cares, sharing her passion for youth literacy and education.
She also spearheads an annual effort to collect book donations for children who participate in the Jacksonville Public Library's Summer Learning Program. Since its inception in 2018, "Tenikka's Books for Kids" has helped collect nearly 6,000 new books for local children.
Tenikka has a passion for storytelling and providing information that impacts the lives of viewers and their families. She traveled to Key West, Florida, to sit down with a national expert on consumer fraud and identity theft to learn about new technology designed to better protect consumers. Tenikka also investigated how a lack of supervision at a St. Augustine hospital may have led to the death of a young father who committed suicide in the hospital's behavioral health unit. Tenikka confronted local massage establishments accused of employing unlicensed workers and talked to experts about the other concerns associated with this illegal practice. She also got a first-hand look at gunfire detection technology being used at a Georgia college and how it could impact law enforcement response to potential threats on campuses.
Prior to making the move to the River City, Tenikka spent five years working as an anchor and reporter with Action News Jacksonville's sister station, WSOC-TV in Charlotte, North Carolina. She has also worked at stations in Memphis, Tennessee, and Macon, Georgia. Her work has been featured on a variety of national media outlets. Tenikka's research has also been published in the Journal of Health Communication.
Tenikka is from the small town of Whitakers, North Carolina. She graduated summa cum laude with an undergraduate degree in Mass Communications from Benedict College in Columbia, South Carolina. She also earned a Master's in Journalism from the Philip Merrill College of Journalism at the University of Maryland at College Park.
Tenikka enjoys traveling and trying new restaurants with her husband.
If you have a story idea or would like to invite Tenikka to be a part of your community event, email her at thughes@actionnewsjax.com.
Dawn Lopez co-anchors Action News This Morning and Action News Jax at Noon.
There’s no place like home! I am happy to call Jacksonville and the surrounding counties home, because I was born and raised here. I have lived all over Jacksonville. I went to school all over town, from kindergarten to college.
I talk to teens when visiting our local schools to think about landing their first job, not just their dream job for later. Their ears perk up when I tell them my first was at a cookie shop in Regency Square Mall when I was 15! I could add professional tastes tester to my resume.
After High School, I decided to stay home, enjoy campus life at the University of North Florida while taking advantage of a wonderful opportunity to work in radio and television right here. I didn’t get much sleep and that era of my life is blur, but I just knew it would give me a jump in my career.
After graduation, I moved to Columbus, Georgia, to work for the ABC affiliate WTVM-9. Then it was on to WGHP-TV, a FOX-owned and operated station in High Point, North Carolina. In North Carolina, I anchored the investigative and consumer team at FOX-8 News.
I love traveling and exploring but again, there’s no place like home. I moved back to Jacksonville to bring news to the community I care most about and love. I now anchor CBS47 Action News Jax This Morning and Action News Jax at Noon, with another long-timer in television news, Phil Amato. We have the best discussions about our favorite small businesses and restaurants we find around town.
Over the years, I’ve brought you exclusive interviews on big stories and helped to get hundreds of children adopted with a special project I worked on for years with the help of Family Support Services. I’ve had the unbelievable honor to receive awards for my work with children, simply doing what I was led in my heart to do. I use my work to help children who need a voice to speak up for them.
When I’m not on the set, chances are I’m preparing to chair, host, speak or help organize events from the many nonprofits, schools or civic groups to which I remained tied. It’s how I stay connected and in touch with you, my neighbor and our viewer. I don’t take it lightly that you invite us into your home and make us a part of your day or daily routine. I take every opportunity to say "Thank you."
My twins and I, along with our puppy Mozart, love being your neighbor. See you at the beach, at the park, or our favorite -- the public library. We're usually out and about enjoying home -- Jacksonville -- along with you.
Bridgette is an Emmy-nominated reporter and weekend evening co-anchor for Action News Jax. She joined Action News Jax in June of 2015.
Bridgette spent five days covering the Pulse Nightclub massacre in Orlando. She was the first reporter in the country to obtain additional information about the gunman and the venues he cased in the months before.
That same year, she covered the manhunt of Steven Murray in South Carolina and Georgia. Murray killed a beloved St. Johns County priest. In a line of questioning with Bridgette, Murray essentially confessed to the murder, apologizing to Action News Jax's cameras.
Bridgette has corresponded and interviewed with several local high profile prisoners, including Ruben Ebron, Michael Dunn and James Rhodes. She is most interested in covering the criminal justice system, local trials, and breaking news.
Bridgette has had some unique opportunities during her time in Jacksonville, including staying on a Navy Nuclear Submarine for 26 hours, being taken down by Navy K-9's in a bite suit and covering Hurricane Matthew.
Before moving to Jacksonville, she started her career in South Bend, Indiana, as a reporter and fill-in anchor. She spent a year there covering everything from the brutal winter, to local crime and Notre Dame Football.
Bridgette grew up south of Orlando and attended the University of Central Florida, earning a bachelor's in Political Science. She is currently enrolled at UCF working on a master's in Criminal Justice. Bridgette became interested in journalism late in college, which began with an internship at a local Orlando station. There she quickly became passionate about helping people in the community, becoming a truth seeker and story teller.
On her off time, Bridgette loves to cook, travel, and spend time visiting her family and friends in Central Florida.
Derrick Odom is the traffic anchor at Action News Jax.
He anchors during the week on Action News This Morning and Action News Jax at 5 p.m.
Born and raised in South Carolina, Derrick has been a Florida resident since 1992. A career in retail first brought Derrick to Jacksonville and eventually took him to Orlando before a job switch to the airline industry paved the way for a return to the River City. While working these other jobs Derrick always had a love and fascination for the broadcasting Industry.
"I remember listening to Casey Kasem do America's Top 40 and thought, how cool is that?”
Odom also recalls sitting in front of the TV any time the news was on, especially political coverage, even at a young age.
Eventually, Odom acted on that love of broadcasting, obtaining part time employment at Metro Networks as a traffic reporter and at Cox Radio, eventually going on air as a weekend DJ, most recently at ROCK 105.
"I thought working in radio was the completion of my dream job fantasy, but then the unlikely opportunity came about to work at Action News and I could not pass it up."
Odom has been in the 'traffic' business for over 14 years now so it’s very important to him that you get the most accurate up to date information.
"I've been doing this in one form or another for a long time and nothing is more important than getting you the right information quickly.”
When not reporting the traffic you can find Derrick around Riverside, enjoying the beaches, golf courses and of course rooting for the Jaguars!
Contact me anytime at DerrickOdom@actionnewsjax.com or on my Facebook Fan page 'Derrick Odom.’
Lorena Inclán anchors Action News Jax This Morning on the weekends and reports during the week. She joined the Action News Jax team in 2012.
Lorena has played an integral role in covering the sinking of the SS El Faro and the loss of its 33 crew members. She traveled to The Bahamas to document the debris washing up ashore, went to Washington D.C. for the release of the longest voyage data recorder transcript ever released by the National Transportation Safety Board, and has covered all three Marine Board of Investigation hearings probing the sinking.
She’s also helped cover other impactful stories, including traveling to the Republic of Panama to investigate the link between the Panama Canal’s expansion and the push to deepen the JAXPORT harbor to allow for larger ships. While in Panama, she got rare access to the canal zone and spoke exclusively with the CEO of the Panama Canal, Jorge Quijano.
Before moving to Jacksonville, Lorena was a multimedia journalist for Univision Orlando.
While in Central Florida, she covered the case against George Zimmerman as well as other high-profile cases, such as the disappearance of Michelle Parker and the hazing death of FAMU drum major Robert Champion. She also covered the 2012 Republican National Convention in Tampa, Florida.
Lorena began her broadcast journalism career in the Texas Panhandle. While there, she was the only bilingual anchor, reporter and producer for KFDA NewsChannel10 and its sister station, Telemundo Amarillo. Before that, she worked as a camera operator and studio tech at WTVJ NBC6 in Miramar.
She was born and raised in Miami. Her passion for news began while in high school where she quickly realized the power of information and her love for telling a good story.
Lorena holds a Bachelor of Science in Communication from the University of Miami’s School of Communication.
When she's not out covering stories Lorena enjoys spending time with her high school sweetheart turned husband, their two dogs, and visiting her family in South Florida.
Do you have a news tip or a great story idea? Reach out to Lorena via email at LInclan@actionnewsjax.com or follow her on Twitter @LorenaANjax.
Dani Bozzini is a general assignment reporter at Action News Jax.
She is a three-time Associated Press award-winning journalist.
Dani is passionate about people and believes it's a privilege to get the chance to tell the stories that matter most to the viewers.
Prior to becoming a part of Action News Jax, Dani spent three years working as a general assignment reporter and fill-in anchor for WMDT in Salisbury, Maryland. While at WMDT, Dani led team coverage on multiple large-scale animal cruelty investigations that landed a first-place Associated Press finish for in-depth reporting in 2018.
Dani is from the small town of Los Gatos, California. She earned an undergraduate degree in Broadcast Journalism from the Philip Merrill College of Journalism at the University of Maryland at College Park. While at the University of Maryland, Dani was a member of their Division I volleyball team. She had the opportunity to play at the highest collegiate level in the ACC and Big Ten NCAA conferences.
Dani loves traveling, trying new restaurants and playing volleyball.
If you have a story idea, email her at dbozzini@actionnewsjax.com.
Russell Colburn is a general assignment reporter for Action News Jax.
Russell joined the Action News team in February of 2014. Prior to that, he spent three years in Mobile, AL working as a reporter and weekend sports anchor for WALA, the FOX affiliate.
While in Mobile, Russell was a one-man-band bureau reporter based in Pensacola. He shot, wrote, and edited all his own stories, covering everything from breaking news, to breaking weather, investigative pieces, to major sporting events. Still to this day, his most memorable story is the 100-year-old Harlem Shake video filmed in a local retirement community.
Russell's broadcasting career began while he was a college student at the University of Central Florida (GO KNIGHTS!). He graduated in 2010 with a degree in Broadcast Journalism and minors in Business Administration and Cinema Studies.
At UCF, Russell reported for and anchored the school's award-winning broadcast, Knightly News. He is also a member of the fraternity Phi Gamma Delta (FIJI) and is proud to be a graduate brother of Orlando's Omega Phi chapter.
He was born in Boston, Massachusetts, but grew up in beautiful Destin, FL. His parents needed a break from the snow! Russell's excited to see what the beaches along the east coast of Florida have to offer.
A huge sports fan, you can catch Russell every Sunday during football season cheering on his Patriots. A fan of everything New England, he’s also a huge Boston Red Sox Bruins and Celtics fan. In fact, his cat’s name is Fenway. And he can’t forget about his UCF Knights—since great college football isn’t ONLY played in the SEC.
In his spare time, he enjoys playing golf, football, softball, and spending time with family and friends.
If you have a story idea and/or comment for Russell- or just want to say hello- feel free to send him an email at rcolburn@actionnewsjax.com.
Brittney Donovan is a reporter at Action News Jax. She first joined the Action News Jax team in 2015 and worked as a digital content producer before she was promoted to reporter in November 2017.
Brittney is Action News Jax’s first hybrid reporter, a position that combines her digital background with on-air reporting. You can watch her reports on CBS47 and FOX30 on mornings and weekends and follow her digital reporting on ActionNewsJax.com.
During her work at Action News Jax, Brittney has helped cover the Jacksonville Landing mass shooting, disappearance and recovery of Jacksonville toddler Lonzie Barton, the search for El Faro, the Community First Bank hostage situation, hurricanes Matthew and Irma and the Corrine Brown federal fraud trial.
Brittney was born and raised on Florida’s Space Coast and studied multimedia journalism and sociology at the University of North Florida. She loves Jacksonville and telling stories that matter to people in Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgia.
When Brittney is not chasing stories, she’s traveling to new cities, reading books, hanging with her friends or trying new restaurants.
You can follow Brittney on Twitter at @brittneyANjax, connect with her on Facebook or email her at bdonovan@actionnewsjax.com.
Paige Kelton is an award winning Investigator Reporter who has called Jacksonville home for more than 22 years.
She has a special interest in covering issues that affect children and serves on the Community Advisory Board for the First Coast Child Protection Team. She has reported extensively on Jacksonville's battle against child abuse and online predators.
She has received five Suncoast Regional Emmy Awards for “Investigative Reporter,” "Crime Reporting," "Politics/Government Reporting," "Newscast” and “General Assignment Reporting.”
A 14-time regional Emmy nominee and recipient of the AP Florida Broadcasters Awards for Individual Achievement and documentary, Paige was also recognized as Media Advocate of the Year by both the Mayor's Victims Assistance Advisory Council in 2014 and Florida’s Children First in 2016.
Paige has B.A. in Media Arts and Telecommunications from Chico State University. While in college, she worked for National Public Radio.
Paige serves on the Board of Directors for the Florida Associated Press Broadcasters, and now leads the special projects team at Action News Jax.
Amber Krycka is a general assignment reporter for Action News Jax.
Krycka is an inspiring and dramatic reporter who brings passion and commitment to each and every story she tells, big or small.
She joined the Action News Jax team in August 2016 from WTVQ in Lexington, Kentucky. Her career began in North Platte, Nebraska, where she was both a reporter and news anchor.
Her reporting career has already brought her face-to-face with historic events and people. She covered the Kentucky Derby, tornadoes in Nebraska, hurricanes in Florida, the historic Senate race of Mitch McConnell vs. Alison Grimes, and national events, too. When Kentucky clerk Kim Davis refused to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, Krycka witnessed both her arrest and release from jail.
Of them all, Krycka says she is most proud of helping push a firefighter cancer bill through the Kentucky state Legislature. A Lexington firefighter was diagnosed with cancer and died after a long struggle for his life. Before he died, Krycka reported several stories on legislation entitling the families of firefighter cancer victims to receive in-line-of-duty death benefits.
Krycka also raised the awareness about homeless veterans in central Kentucky by reporting widely on their plight.
Personally, Krycka is a small-town girl from Michigan. She graduated from Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan. She volunteers at a local nursing home, is active in her church, sings, plays the piano and keeps both her head and body in shape by kick-boxing a bag at a local gym.
Meghan Moriarty joined the Action News Jax team in August 2019, and she’s thrilled to call Jacksonville her new home.
The New Jersey native previously worked for the NBC station in Charlottesville, Virginia. There, she was a general assignment reporter and fill-in anchor.
In Charlottesville, Meghan covered several national stories, including the University of Virginia Men’s Basketball Championship and the 2017 Unite the Right Rally. She was the first TV reporter on the scene where white supremacists, holding lit tiki torches, clashed with counter-protesters. She continued to cover the deadly rally the following day, along with the aftermath that followed.
She also contributed to the station’s Associated Press award-winning coverage of an Amtrak train that derailed, carrying dozens of US Congressmen. The crash involved a trash truck that maneuvered around safety gates and onto the tracks. Meghan was the first to obtain the driver’s medical records, showing he had a high level of marijuana in his system at the time of the crash.
Prior to reporting, Meghan was a Video Editor for the CBS affiliate, WUSA*9, in Washington DC.
She is a proud graduate of the University of Maryland's Philip Merrill College. Go Terps!
When she's not on the job, you can find Meghan training for her next race, reading a good thriller, or looking for a new restaurant to try!
Ryan Nelson joined Action News Jax as a reporter in June 2018.
After nearly a year as a reporter on the U.S.-Mexico border in the Rio Grande Valley, he returns home to the Sunshine State. Ryan grew up in Hawthorne.
While working in Texas, Ryan told stories surrounding illegal immigration, border violence, weapons smuggling and the existing border fence. He also assisted viewers with an array of consumer concerns.
Ryan formerly served as a Digital Content Producer for beIN Sports Network. Ryan worked to grow the network’s digital presence in its first year of American Collegiate athletics coverage.
Ryan graduated from the University of Florida’s College of Journalism and Communications in 2016. While there, he served as a reporter and anchor in both news and sports at WUFT. He also served as an on-air news and sports personality with WUFT-FM and ESPN Gainesville.
Ryan won a first-place SPJ Regional Mark of Excellence award for radio in-depth reporting and finished as a Finalist for the SPJ National Mark of Excellence as a student in 2015. He also won first place in the Florida AP College Broadcasting in the same category, and placed as a Finalist in their Sports category.
In his free time, Ryan loves playing drums, meeting new people and reading a good book.
Elizabeth Pace joined the Action News Jax team in August 2018 as a general assignment reporter.
Prior to moving to Jacksonville, she worked as a weekend anchor/producer and multimedia journalist in Lubbock, Texas. There, she covered illegal immigration, agriculture, consumer reports and city politics. Elizabeth also played a role in uncovering internal police affairs, along with relief efforts from Hurricane Harvey. She also earned a Diversity Achievement award for her coverage in low-income areas.
Elizabeth, a Louisville, Ky., native, began her journalism career Indiana University, where she served as News Director of Indiana University Student Television.
When she’s not reporting, Elizabeth loves trying new restaurants, taking her dog to the beach, and finding live music around town.
If you have a story idea, you can email Elizabeth at epace@actionnewsjax.com
Jamarlo Phillips is a general assignment reporter for Action News Jax. He joined the WJAX/WFOX news team in June 2019.
Before coming to Jacksonville, he worked at WEAR ABC 3 in Pensacola as a reporter and fill-in anchor. Jamarlo made a name for himself in the Florida Panhandle with live breaking news stories and weather coverage.
He earned a reputation for wall-to-wall coverage and aftermath of Hurricane Michael. But there’s one story that Jamarlo covered in Pensacola that he says he’ll never forget. Robert Howard, a convicted Alabama sex offender was arrested for kidnapping, killing and disposing of the body of a 12-year-old girl named Naomi Jones. Jones went missing from her apartment, setting off a community-wide search for nearly a week that ended when her remains were found by fishermen in a creek just a few miles from where she lived.
Before Jamarlo got to WEAR, he worked at WBTW News 13 in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. While in South Carolina, he chased storms on a regular basis, developing an expertise at covering severe weather. He also covered national stories, including a mass shooting where a gunman killed nine people at a historic African-American church in Charleston. Nearly a month later, he covered the removal of the Confederate flag from the grounds of the S.C. State House.
An Alabama native, he received his degree from Troy University in Troy, Alabama. Go Trojans!
Jamarlo is a member of the National Association of Black Journalists and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc.
Aside from bringing you the latest news, his true passion is working with children and young adults to help ensure they are on the right path to success. Jamarlo also enjoys the outdoors, traveling, meeting new people, spending time with family and friends and catching up on the latest horror movies.
Jamarlo wants to hear what he can do to serve you and your community. If you have any story ideas, upcoming events or would like to say hello please feel free to email him at jphillips@actionnewsjax.com or contact him either on Facebook @JamarloPhillipsTV or Twitter @JamarloANjax. You can also reach him at 904-545-1995.
Beth Rousseau joined the Action News Jax team as a general assignment reporter in October 2016.
As a central Florida native, she's glad to be back in the sunshine state. Beth is a proud Florida State University alumna, where she majored in Media/Communication Studies and Theatre.
Her career began at the Fox affiliate in Binghamton, New York. After one winter, Beth traded Upstate's frigid temperatures for 'famously hot' Columbia, South Carolina. While reporting in the Capitol City she covered the removal of the Confederate flag from statehouse grounds and the 2015 flooding that devastated the state.
Beth already loves living in Jacksonville and can't wait to continue exploring. A former Florida State rower, she's excited to get back on the water in the River City. She also enjoys beach days, and being with friends and family.
If you have story ideas or just want to say hi, email BRousseau@ActionNewsJax.com and follow her on Twitter @BRousseauANJax.
Alicia Tarancon is thrilled to trade in her snow boots for flip flops and be back home in the Sunshine State. She joined the Action News Jax team as a general assignment reporter in December 2018.
Prior to coming to work in Jacksonville, she worked as a reporter and fill-in anchor at KCRG-TV9 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
While she was working there, she covered devastating tornado and storm damage, including the EF-3 tornado that ripped through downtown Marshalltown in July 2018. Alicia also covered the disappearance and murder of Mollie Tibbetts, the University of Iowa student who was last seen in July 2018 in her hometown of Brooklyn, Iowa.
Alicia also won an IBNA (Iowa Broadcast News Association) award on her work investigating an invasive "super-weed" called Palmer amaranth and how it could impact Iowa's nearly $14 billion corn and soybean crops industry.
Before coming to Iowa, Alicia began her reporting career in Gainesville, Florida at CBS 4 where she covered everything from Donald Trump's campaign rally in Ocala to Hurricane Hermine and the Zika virus.
Alicia earned her Master's degree in International Affairs at Georgetown University and her bachelor's degree in Journalism from George Mason University.
She was born in Daytona Beach, but because Alicia grew up a "military brat" she was raised in Hawaii, Kentucky, Alabama, Alaska, Oregon, Florida and Virginia.
Alicia can also fly drones and is a FAA certified drone pilot.
She has also interned at ABC News and CNN in Washington D.C. and worked as a web editor and overnight producer at WNEW 99.1 FM, a 24-hour news station covering news across the district.
On her days off, Alicia enjoys yoga, reading, traveling, hanging out with her friends and visiting her family in Tampa, Ormond Beach, and Fort Myers. She's also a huge foodie and is always up for trying new things.
Christy Turner joined the Action News Jax team as a reporter in May 2017.
Prior to that, Turner spent two years at WOKV News 104.5 in Jacksonville. After six months as a reporter at WOKV, Christy was promoted to anchor for Jacksonville’s Morning News. WOKV has been recognized by the Associated Press as the most honored radio news team in Florida.
Christy played a role in covering the 2015 fire at the Belleza Condominiums which led to the St. Johns County Fire Rescue launching an internal investigation into the response of fire personnel. As a result of her reporting at WOKV, a dispatcher was fired and an engineer resigned.
Born and raised in Orlando, Christy attended college at Northwestern University where she earned a scholarship to play Division 1 women’s lacrosse. While at Northwestern, Christy was named Captain and helped lead her team to two national championships.
She graduated in June 2014 with a degree in Journalism.
When she’s not out covering stories, Christy enjoys watching or playing sports, playing Call of Duty and spending time with loved ones.
If you have a story idea, you can email Christy at cturner@actionnewsjax.com.
You can also follow along on Twitter @ChristyANJax
Brittney Verner joined the Action News Jax team in January 2019.
She’s originally from Detroit, MI and graduated from Oakland University in June 2015 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. She fell in love with news as a little girl growing up watching it with her grandparents. She had her first real taste of the industry while interning at WJBK, Fox 2 Detroit.
Brittney came to Action News Jax from KSDK St. Louis, MO. Before that she worked KXXV, the ABC affiliate in central Texas. During her time there, she worked on many major breaking stories, including covering the victims who were evacuated during Hurricane Harvey. She also volunteered her time to put together care packages for victims, which included clothes and toiletries.
Brittney loves being part of her community through volunteering. She previously spearheaded a literacy program in St. Louis called “Reading with the Stars” where she raised funds to donate hundreds of books to children in underprivileged communities. She’s currently a mentor and has a true passion for helping children and adolescents work toward success while encouraging literacy and professionalism.
“It’s a privilege to have the opportunity to equip the community I live and work in with information they need in their daily lives,” Brittney said.
Brittney enjoys meeting new people, trying new restaurants, traveling and telling the stories that matter most to the community.
If you see her around don’t be shy, just say hi. She loves greeting new faces with a smile.
If you know of a story that affects the Jacksonville area, let Brittney know by emailing her at bverner@actionnewsjax.com.
Brent Martineau is the sports director for Action Sports Jax.
He joined the station in March 2008.
Brent and Action Sports Jax like to make the argument that we have more local sports programming than any other local station in the country with more than 150 hours annually.
The award-winning sports department has been recognized with Emmy Awards and nominations, Edward R. Murrow Awards and Associated Press Awards for sportscasts and storytelling.
CBS47 and FOX30 are the Official Stations of the Jacksonville Jaguars and Brent hosts the Monday night show called Jaguars All Access. In the past, he has also been the sideline reporter for the Jaguars radio broadcasts and does the TV sideline reporting for the preseason games.
Prior to Jacksonville, Brent was at an award-winning sports department in Albany, New York for five years and also worked for WPRI/WNAC-TV in Providence, Rhode Island, and for KLAX-TV in Alexandria, Louisiana.
Brent has had the fortune of being at some big-time events like the Super Bowl, World Series, The Masters and National Championship Games, but he really enjoys telling stories about the local athletes -- professional and amateur.
Brent graduated from Ashland University in Ashland, Ohio, in 1999. He played outfield for the Eagles team that made it to the Division II College World Series in 1999. He's originally from East Providence, Rhode Island.
Brent lives in St. Johns County with his wife, Stefanie, and their 12-year-old twins, Tyler and Kaylee.
Dan Hicken is a sports anchor for the Action Sports Jax team.
He joined Brent and Stuart in June 2013.
He had spent 27 years doing television work at a local station.
Dan also hosts a weekday radio program on 1010XL and 92.5 FM from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m.
Dan is married to "BWR," beautiful wife Reagan, and has three children: Danielle, Drew and the boy king, Brooks. In his spare time you can find Dan at a local ball field questioning umpires, berating referees and making a fool out of himself.
He has three goals left for his sports teams: a NY Mets world championship, a Jaguars Super Bowl (win?) by 2020 and seeing his alma mater, the Florida Gators, hoist another crystal Crystal trophy.
Dan grew up in Miami playing sports, where he was honored numerous times. As a senior at Miami Sunset he was named honorable mention all county in water polo and also has the dubious distinction of being kicked out of the National Honor Society.
He once quarterbacked a media team to a flag football semifinals game and played in a professional basketball game where he went 0-5 from the field.
Follow Dan on Twitter @DanHicken and send him an email.
Stuart Webber is a sports anchor and reporter for Action Sports Jax.
He joined the Action Sports Jax team in August of 2012 and is happy to be back in his home state of Florida.
He returns to the Sunshine State after a stint in Columbus, Georgia at WRBL-TV covering everything from Auburn's run to the 2010 BCS Championship to Northern Little League traveling to Williamsport, Pennsylvania for the Little League World Series.
Before that Stuart spent time in West Texas cutting his teeth covering high school football including the Permian Panthers of Friday Night Lights fame. While working at KWES-TV he also trekked to Oxnard, California for Dallas Cowboys training camp and reported on MLB spring training in Phoenix, Arizona.
Stuart graduated from the University of Florida in 2007 and as a proud Gator graduate he's quick to point out that was the year they won both football and basketball national titles. He's originally from Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.
In Stuart's spare time you'll find him doing what else but watching and playing sports. If you have a great sports story that needs to be told, email him at swebber@actionnewsjax.com.
Jacqueline Fell came to the Washington Bureau in June 2012 from Orlando, Florida.
As Channel 11'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.
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.
