Alyssa Ivanson

Alyssa Ivanson is NewsChannel 15's weekend anchor and health reporter. She joined the news team in January 2006, and is excited to be a part of the Fort Wayne community. 

Alyssa has covered a wide variety of stories, sending her through firefighter training, ice rescue training, in the air with Parkview's Samaritan and around the Indy 500 Speedway. Alyssa has interviewed many local and state news makers as well as several high-profile people including Barack and Michelle Obama and Larry King. "My favorite part of this job is never knowing what I'll be doing on any given day. I love getting to meet so many people in the community."

The Indiana Associated Press recently named Alyssa "Best Reporter 2008" for Local Television in Indiana. The Indiana Broadcasters Association awarded Alyssa "Best News Series" for her series Extreme Family Makeover. The Society of Professional Journalists awarded her first place in "Continuing Coverage" for her Fire Power series, in which Alyssa went through training and spent a 24-hour shift with the Fort Wayne Fire Department. That series also won "Best Story on a Web News Site," a national award from the International Association of Fire Fighters.  Alyssa also won the national Bill Leonard Award from the ARRL, the national association for amateur radio, for her story about a local radio operator who met President Bush.

A Los Angeles, Calif., native, she moved to Indiana when she was 11. Not one to forget her roots, Alyssa sometimes jokes and calls herself a "Californi-Hoosier."  "I have many great memories from California, and I love going back to visit, but my real home is here in Indiana."

Alyssa graduated magna cum laude from Ball State University's Honors College with a degree in Telecommunications, although her broadcast journalism career began before college. Alyssa has known television news is what she wanted to pursue for as long as she can remember. "The news business is exciting; each day presents new challenges and rewards. I love meeting so many new people and never knowing what each day holds." In high school Alyssa was a show host and DJ for Bedford's WBIW 1340 AM. Her senior year, she created her own weekly news program; and it was truly a one-woman show! Alyssa did all the writing, editing, producing and on-air work.

Alyssa wasted no time getting involved at Ball State either. She began working for the school's student-produced newscast her freshman year and was quickly promoted to one of the main anchors. Alyssa also worked as a reporter/anchor for NewsLink Indiana, a professionally-run news program on WIPB-TV in Muncie. She filled-in on the anchor desk for two years and served as the program's main anchor her senior year. Also while at Ball State, Alyssa loved working as a campus tour guide and Orientation Leader. "It was so much fun to meet all the people coming to campus, but best of all, now I'm an expert backwards-walker!"

In college, Alyssa was awarded the prestigious Edward R. Murrow award for her work on the morning program on WBST 92.1 FM.  Alyssa was the first recipient of the Jack McQuate Associated Press Scholarship and a three-time winner of the Indiana Broadcaster's Association Scholarship. Alyssa also won an award from acclaimed network news anchor Steve Bell.

When not uncovering the latest story, Alyssa volunteers for Fort Wayne's Habitat for Humanity Family Selection Committee, is a Big Sister for Big Brothers/Big Sisters and is the Academic Advisor for her sorority, Alpha Omicron Pi, at Ball State. Alyssa served on the Board of Directors for the Girl Scouts of Limberlost Council from 2006-2008. Alyssa also enjoys hosting dinner parties, scrapbooking, spelunking, and going to the theater with her fiance, Kurt.

E-mail Alyssa at alyssa.ivanson@wane.com

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