Life & Work with Daniela Leon

Today we’d like to introduce you to Daniela Leon.

Hi Daniela, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
My passion for storytelling developed at a young age. I grew up watching local Kansas City news every morning before school and knew this was my calling.

I went to Kansas State and graduated with my journalism degree and minors in both Spanish and Women’s Studies.

My first on-air start was in Topeka, Kansas at WIBW-TV where I worked as a reporter and anchor. I’m a big outdoor enthusiast and decided to take my craft to the Rocky Mountains where I worked as a reporter and anchor at FOX21 in Colorado Springs.

I was in southern Colorado for four years and had the privilege of working alongside some of the best journalists in the country. However, my KC roots were calling me back and decided to come back December of 2021. I believe KSHB is Kansas City’s best new source. I work with intelligent and savvy journalists who deeply care about Kansas City and make important decisions on how to bring the absolute best coverage to this community. I am extremely happy to be back home and hopefully inspire young aspiring journalists like I was growing up in KC.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
This industry can be tough and it definitely hasn’t been a smooth journey. When I first started, I thought I had to look a certain way or talk a certain way to make it in this business. However, through trial and error, I’ve learned that being yourself is the best policy.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am part of the KSHB-TV morning team. I go to work every day at 3:30 and help bring the most important news to people living in KC before they start their day. I specialize in news and we as a team aim at pitching stories that matter to our community the most and make sure every voice is heard. I am live every weekday morning working on these stories and the team and I have meetings every morning before the show to make sure this goal is achieved.

But we also treat each other like one big family, I am very lucky that I get to go to work every day feeling happy and incredibly lucky to be working for such a dynamic and powerful team.

What matters most to you?
My Hispanic roots.

I am a first-generation Mexican-American and am fluent in Spanish.

I’ve won several journalism awards in both Kansas and Colorado and the majority of them have been awarded to me on stories I did on Hispanics making a difference in their community.

Diversity matters.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.kshb.com/daniela-leon
• Instagram: @leondanielatv