Hawai‘i Public Radio has announced the newest member of its staff, local broadcast news veteran Catherine Cruz. She will be the co-host of HPR’s weekday talk program The Conversation (11 a.m. HST on HPR-1), along with Chris Vandercook, and will make her first appearance on the show on December 19. Cruz will also do some reporting for HPR News.
“We are delighted to welcome one of the strongest journalists in the state to our growing newsroom,” said HPR News Director Bill Dorman. “We look forward to Catherine’s continuing contributions to the community.”
Cruz has been a television reporter in Hawai‘i since 1983 and has won a number of awards and respect from a statewide audience. She spent more than thirty years at KITV, covering beats from government to education and health.
Originally from Guam, Cruz is also a co-founder and former Board member and programming chair of Pacific Islanders in Communication (PIC). The Hawaiʻi-based organization is primarily funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, with a mission to bring stories “to support, advance, and develop Pacific Island media content and talent that results in a deeper understanding of Pacific Island history, culture, and contemporary challenges.” Since its founding in 1991, PIC has grown a significant pool of video producers from Hawai‘i, Guam and Samoa, many who have provided culturally-diverse programs to PBS.
Cruz is a graduate of San Francisco State University. She holds a degree in Broadcast Journalism.
HPR currently has a news and talk staff of 12, plus three contributing reporters from the Neighbor Islands.