Today we’d like to introduce you to Melissa Adan.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Melissa. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
Since the moment I could pick-up the phone and dial my friends I’ve always loved to tell a good story or hear one. In the fifth grade, I read headlines over a speaker and shared the morning announcements to my classmates. This progressed into high school where alongside my dedicated friends we put together our morning newscast and broadcasted it throughout a high school in Miami-Dade County with more than 4,000 students. The love of telling stories has always been a passion of mine. The right to inform and educate the community is my honor. I am a journalist who has told stories from tiny cities like Lubbock, Texas all the way to Sydney, Australia. I currently work for NBCUniversal at one of their owned and operated stations in San Diego, California.
I began dreaming of becoming a journalist since I was 14 years old. After practicing as a student journalist throughout high school and then in college at Miami Dade College and Boston University, I became a professional journalist working for local television news as a reporter and anchor. I’ve had stories air across the United States and now many of my stories are playing on NBC airwaves and digital platforms to be viewed around the globe.
Has it been a smooth road?
The first difficult decision I had to make was in my late teens deciding on whether I should move out of my hometown. Personally, I was going through a tumultuous time following the car accident of my dear friend who is incredibly passionate about film and television. Additionally, I had never lived anywhere but my home of Miami and since my family immigrated to Miami from Cuba — no one had yet dared move out of the state of Florida. Ultimately, I moved to Boston to transfer and study at Boston University’s College of Communication. I learned what it felt like to walk several blocks in below 30 degrees, shivering while I waited for public transportation– talk about building character. Then in 2014, I graduated and accepted a low-paying job as a news reporter in the small town of Lubbock, Texas. Taking on a new job with a serious responsibility many of my family and friends were stunned at the low wages reporters start out making. While working 10 hour days, weekends, holidays, and barely any raises after two years in Texas I moved back to Miami. This is where I began working for NBCUniversal, I was based at NBC’s owned and operated station in Miramar, Florida, WTVJ/NBC 6 serving South Florida news.
We’d love to hear more about your work and what you are currently focused on. What else should we know?
I am a news reporter who is passionate about telling stories and informing others. I tackle stories from daily crime to long term issues impacting our climate and politics. My journalism work has been recognized, in 2019 I won NAHJ’s Al Neuharth Investigative Journalism award for a story published on KNSD/NBC 7 San Diego. I worked with our Investigative Executive Producer, Tom Jones, looking into a migrant youth shelter that was found to have a record of abuse and negligence. In my career, I’ve told hundreds of stories and the goal for each and every story is to inform and possibly motivate someone to act.
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
I am a Southern California transplant! Being from a coast, my favorite thing is the coast! After experiencing life being landlocked for a couple of years in Texas, I can proudly share how much I love the ocean. While the Pacific isn’t the most inviting to swim in, I’ve been stunned by the incredible beauty of beaches here. From the gorgeous cliffs and beaches across La Jolla to the highly-rated Coronado beaches, the beaches are my passion. I also enjoy the amount of preserved nature San Diego has to offer. There are so many great places to hike, walk, or just be outside– and you don’t have to worry so much about mosquitos like in Florida! One of my personal favorite spots is Annie’s Canyon in Solana Beach.
Like any Californian, I least like the traffic! But, luckily with my job sometimes I have to be at work by 3 a.m. so the roads don’t look too bad at 2 in the morning.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/melissa-adan-nbc-7-san-diego/2037649/
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melissaadan/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/melissanbc7
- Twitter: http://twitter.com/melissanbc7
- Other: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissa-adan-68738051/
Image Credit:
Cheyenne Darcy Amaya (NAHJ); Natalie Valdes (NBC News); Kaitlynne Sanchez
Suggest a story: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
