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Diana Penna

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Emmy Award-winning Diana Penna joined the station in April, 1997 as the only full-time health reporter in the Sacramento area. In 2006, she also became Director of Special Community Projects for CBS 13/CW 31.  Station projects she organizes include the Salvation Army's Angel Tree helping thousands of kids in need get toys; Stuff the Bus helping thousands of children in need get new school supplies; The Annual Pet Telethon, raising thousands of dollars for abused animals just to name a few.  As a result of the stations and website's commitment to the community, CBS 13/CW 31  won a station Emmy from the Northern California Academy of Television Arts and Sciences for Outstanding Achievement in Community Service, helping area charities raise more than $3 million

Aside from her busy reporting schedule, Diana also is out and about speaking frequently at a number of community events. She is involved with a number of community organizations.  A former longtime board member for the American Heart Association, she also served as emcee of their annual Gala for the past 10 years. The Huntington's Disease Society of America Northern California chapter recently honored her with their Humanitarian Award.  Diana has also been honored each year for her dedicated work with the Delta Blood Bank. She also has co-authored an academic research paper that was presented in the fall of 2002 at the National Association of Blood Banks, which addresses the power of television to get people motivated to give the gift of life.  Diana has also been a featured speaker at the American Medical Association's Science Writers' Conference. Diana's topic: "Taking Your Health Franchise Out To the Community!" Diana also spearheads our "Drive Thru Beat the Flu Campaign" held at various locations each fall. With the help of the Sutter Visiting Nurses Association, viewers can drive up and receive their flu shot conveniently. Diana has also been honored for her community work and reporting by the Northern California Psychological Association, the CA Mental Health Association and the Child Abuse Prevention Council. An Emmy-nominated reporter for several years, Diana took home a statute for a special series she produced for CBS13 in 2001. American Women In Radio and Television honored her for Outstanding Achievement as a health reporter. The California Association of Health Facilities also named Diana "California Medical Reporter of the Year" in 2002.

Diana tackles important issues about health care and makes sense of complicated medical issues. She started the health franchise in 1997 and it quickly became one of the most popular segments in the region, helping viewers make healthy lifestyle choices for themselves and their families. Diana's compassionate style of reporting has earned her a reputation as the area's leading medical reporter. 

Diana came to CBS13 from Pennsylvania where she became one of the most respected health reporters in the country. Her work has been seen nationwide on CNBC's "Steals and Deals" and her stories were seen weekly on 200 NBC affiliate stations across the nation. She has received numerous public service and journalism awards throughout her career, including the prestigious National Headliner Award for Investigative Journalism; a first place Associated Press award for Breaking News and Feature Reporting; and an Emmy nomination for her role as host of an award-winning medical show in Pennsylvania. She graduated from Villanova University with a double major in English and Communication Arts.  She started her career in broadcasting producing for Shadow Traffic in Philadelphia during her last two years in college. She also finished her last semester in college at night to take her first full time position as a researcher for the investigative Unit at WCAU-TV (now NBC 10) in Philadelphia. After that she went in front of the camera to become an anchor/reporter at WUTR-TV in Utica, NY and WBRE-TV in Wilkes Barre and Scranton, PA before moving to Sacramento.