From Michigan’s Upper Peninsula to the Frozen Tundra that is Green Bay, Wis., to where everything is said to be bigger in Austin, Texas, to now finally back in her home state in beautiful San Luis Obispo, California — Monique Lopez is excited to be joining the KSBY team as a Multimedia Journalist, covering northern San Luis Obispo County.
The Los Angeles native has nearly ten years of journalism experience under her belt and comes to KSBY from KEYE-TV in Austin. Prior to that, she was in Green Bay, Wis. at WLUK-TV, FOX 11 News, where she spent four years sharing the stories most important to those in the area. While there, Monique’s reporting earned her a 1st place series/documentary Midwest Broadcasters Association award, and the “Best of Series/Documentary” Wisconsin Broadcasters Association award.
California-grown and a graduate of prestigious Arizona State's Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication, many say Monique must've just thrown a dart at a map and decided on the U.P., where she began her career in 2015 at WLUC-TV, TV-6 News as the Iron Mountain/Kingsford bureau reporter. Although at first, it was certainly a culture shock for her, that experience taught Monique so much about herself, proving she was meant to do this; she was meant to be a journalist and is humbled every day doing the job she loves.
Monique’s time in Green Bay and Austin did a lot for her, too. But one thing those cities did not do was change where Monique’s loyalties lie in sports. Monique is a self-professed sports fanatic, especially when it comes to her Dallas Cowboys. When she met her high school sweetheart, Gilbert, nearly 24 years ago, Monique would learn he, too, is a diehard Cowboys fan, so it was meant to be, or “in the stars,” as she likes to say. Monique and Gilbert have been happily married for 15 years and are both looking forward to what SLO Cal and the Central Coast have to offer. Monique doesn’t forget her alma mater, though, and roots for her ASU Sun Devils, but being born and raised in Los Angeles, she is also a tried-and-true Dodgers, Lakers and Kings fan.
For Monique, having complete strangers trust her to tell their stories and giving a voice to the voiceless, in an accurate, honest way is a huge responsibility but one she is honored to have and takes very seriously. Now, after doing the same in Austin, she plans to continue doing what she loves most, this time just a little closer to home.
Monique says she is up for almost anything and, having just moved to the area, she welcomes any fun, exciting suggestions! When she’s off air, you can find her spending time with family and friends, swimming, running, hiking, exploring the Central Coast and, if there’s music, absolutely dancing.
If you see Monique out and about, she enjoys meeting new people, so feel free to say hi and share any story ideas you may have. You can contact her at Monique.Lopez@ksby.com.
