Kimberlee Speakman fell in love with journalism at an early age – all thanks to a man who could leap tall buildings in a single bound.
“I always thought it was cool how Superman would save the day and then Clark Kent and Lois Lane would report on it. They sometimes had challenges to telling the story, but always persevered,” she says.
The Waipahu native attended Maryknoll School, then went on to earn a dual bachelor’s degree in journalism and communications at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, where the broadcast world captured her attention.
“Some things you can only get the true meaning of if you’ve seen it. The idea of capturing raw and true moments on camera gave me the inspiration I needed to create truly compelling stories,” she says.
She uncovered some of those compelling stories in 2016, when Hawaii hosted the IUCN Conservation Congress. She spoke with activists and experts from around the world, including primatologist Jane Goodall, and learned about the struggles tribes and citizens constantly face to protect their lands.
Kimberlee is excited to continue her storytelling at KHON2. “I’ve always watched KHON2 since I was little, and knew that I always wanted to end up here some day,” she says.
When she’s not working, Kimberlee loves “spending time with my friends and family around the island, recording the funny things we do, and making blog videos from it.”
