Politics touches just about every aspect of life, which is why Natalie is excited to begin covering the arena for KING 5 in the beautiful and dynamic state of Washington. Natalie returns to the Northwest after an exhilarating year at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, where she completed her Master of Public Administration. She returned to school as mid-career student with the goal of learning more about the inner workings of government in order to better serve the public as a watchdog journalist.
Prior to Kennedy School, Natalie worked as a general assignment reporter for KTVK in Phoenix, Arizona, covering issues ranging from the economy to immigration. She also reported extensively on the Yarnell Hill tragedy, which killed 19 firefighters in June of 2013.
Before Phoenix, Natalie reported in Portland, Oregon for KPTV, a Fox affiliate. She spent months covering the Occupy Portland Movement and also put together special, in-depth reports on the city's heroin epidemic and sex trafficking problem. Natalie continues to be involved in the fight against trafficking, currently serving as national media council director for the National Women's Coalition Against Violence & Exploitation.
Her reporting career started in Palm Springs, California where she worked for a CBS affiliate and covered topics ranging from devastating wildfires to the presidential funeral of Gerald Ford. She's also won multiple awards for breaking news coverage, including a Golden Mike, Regional Edward R. Murrow and an Associated Press Television-Radio Association (APTRA) award. She was named APTRA Reporter of the Year in Palm Springs in 2009.
Natalie began in broadcast news as a writer and associate producer at KFMB, a CBS affiliate in San Diego, California while still in college. She was hired while still in her sophomore year at University of California, San Diego, where she graduated with Highest Distinction from the Department of Communication.
She is thrilled to be living in Seattle and working for a station she's long admired. When she's not working, she enjoys golfing, volunteering, exploring new neighborhoods. If you have a story idea or issue for Natalie to dig into, please email her at nbrand@king5.com. Find her on Twitter @NatalieBrandK5 or on Facebook.
