Erika Thomas is the primary weekday evening co-anchor for WKBN 27 First News.
Erika was born in the Twin Cities and lived in Iowa City for three years before growing up in West Lafayette, Indiana. She attended the University of Missouri in Columbia and graduated summa cum laude with dual degrees in Broadcast Journalism and Economics. Erika then moved to Sioux City, Iowa, to pursue a career in television news.
During her time as main anchor there, the Radio Television Digital News Association recognized Erika’s work with the 2013 Regional Edward R. Murrow Award – Investigative Reporting for a three-part series about child sex abuse in northwest Iowa. That same series won other state and regional awards as well. It followed a 13-year-old boy and his grandfather who were fighting for justice after the child admitted he was raped by his mother’s boyfriend when he was 5 years old. The police chief and county attorney don’t have enough evidence to press charges even though they agree something did happen.
Erika loves traveling and have been fortunate to do so professionally. She’s followed local educators as they trained alongside Marines at a boot camp in California, and spent two weeks traveling Europe as through the RTDNF/RIAS German-American Journalist Exchange Program.
Erika was one of a dozen American journalists selected for this fellowship to spend time in Germany, Belgium & the Czech Republic. The group learned about politics, the economy & journalism in the European Union and how it impacts international headlines. Erika said, “It was an amazing experience that’s changed how I view this industry and the job I do every day. As a first-generation American born to an American mother and a German father, I truly understand, respect & value a global perspective on the personal stories we tell.”
While not working, Erika enjoy spending time with her husband, Dan, being active – especially biking, swimming & camping, being outdoors, watching movies & sports and cooking/eating good (vegetarian) food. Animals are also a huge passion. She’s adopted two cats and a dog. Erika looks forward to volunteering in the community and working with community organizations.
Erika co-anchors the 5 PM, 6 PM, 10 PM and 11 PM with Dave Sess on WKBN 27 First News and FOX Youngstown.
You can FOLLOW her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ErikaThomasTV and LIKE her on Facebook at www.facebook.com/WKBNErikaThomas. Feel free to say hello and email story ideas to erika.thomas@wkbn.com
