Natalie Haddad is a reporter at WFAA in Dallas, Texas.
1) Who are you? I’m an affable gal who believes everyone has a voice, and it’s our job to make sure they’re heard. I’m excited to return to the Dallas-Fort Worth area, which brings me closer to family, friends, into the friendliest of communities and to a station full of incredible storytellers. I’m a born people-lover and am always learning from those around me. An Emmy-winning journalist, I believe life has always destined me to be in this field of work.
Born in California to immigrant parents, from Mexico and the Middle East – respectively, I ultimately grew up in the piney woods of East Texas. Jacksonville, just 30 minutes south of Tyler, is a quaint town that passes you by if you blink more than once – but there’s certainly something special to be said about small-town living!
Before arriving to WFAA, I was a reporter for its sister-station in Austin, KVUE. There I extensively covered the Robb Elementary School shooting in Uvalde, health-related societal concerns – such as the rise in eating disorders in teens and young adults, crime and high-profile court cases, city hall and commissioners’ courts, and exclusively covered the 88th Texas Legislative session. I also pursued investigations into local school districts and student safety and was credited by Disability Rights Texas for helping expose the lack of safety measures in public schools for special education students. The story, in-part, led to special education-related legislation being filed in 2023.
Prior to my time in Austin, I worked in Colorado Springs as a traffic anchor and news reporter for the ABC affiliate, KRDO. There, I won my first Emmy. Before this, I wrote and produced for Fox 4 in DFW, and for the CW39 in Houston. Rewinding even further, I graduated from Stephen F. Austin State University (axe ‘em!), where over my years there I hosted music hours and news cut-ins for 90.1 KSAU, an alternative rock station, reported for the school’s bi-weekly cable newscast, and co-launched, wrote, and was editor-in-chief of SFA’s chapter of Her Campus – an online magazine for collegiate women.
2) What are your interests? Travel is my greatest extravagance! In 2012, I spent a summer exploring Palestine and meeting my extended family. I will never forget roaming the streets of Nazareth, floating in the Dead Sea, or the falafel stand outside of Mary’s Well. I’ve literally dreamed of that sandwich. I love to be outside. I won’t say no to a good hike, from the mountainous terrain of Colorado to the Appalachians of North Carolina. I love attending live events - specifically concerts, sports (go Mavs!), and musical theatre. I’m a sucker for a picnic! And I love learning about other cultures, and am so proud of mine: Lebanese, Armenian, and Mexican.
3) Why are you excited to work at WFAA? WFAA stands for “Working For All Alike,” and that is exactly what WFAA does. The station embraces diversity and people being their true selves. We know our viewers appreciate the authenticity in us, and in our stories - whether its us they see or people in their communities. Known for innovative, empathetic, and fact-checked journalism – WFAA has all the right ingredients to be a journalist’s dream-place to work and to be a viewer’s trusted source.
4) What’s one thing people would be surprised to learn about you? Oh, boy. I was my high school mascot during my senior year, and a cheerleader my first year of college. If you know me, trust - that's hard to imagine. Before (briefly) getting into cheer, I did musical theatre (and even majored in it before getting into journalism). For more than a decade I acted, sang, danced, and played my piano for many audiences... I still play the piano, but now my dancing tends to only happen at weddings or with friends, and I limit my singing to karaoke.
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