Her face has graced the television screen in Miami for many years. Jackie Nespral, an Emmy Award-winning television journalist and proud University of Miami alumna, has been voted “Best TV News Anchor of 2019” by the Miami New Times.
Nespral anchors NBC 6 News at 5 p.m., 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. with co-anchor Jawan Strader. The daughter of Cuban parents, she grew up in Little Havana and graduated from UM with a bachelor of arts in 1989 with a major in psychology.
Nespral shared the following thoughts about this latest honor and her career.
What does this award mean to you?
This award is extra special because it comes from the readers of the Miami New Times. It means that even though people are getting their news from different outlets, they still want experience and people they can trust to give them the news.
Who has influenced you the most in your career and personal success?
Many people have influenced me in my career and life, from my parents who taught me to go for my dreams, work hard to achieve them and to never give up, to people like former NBC President Don Browne who took a chance on me and hired me to become the first Hispanic anchor of a network news program. Barbara Walters was someone who had always been a source of inspiration and I had the opportunity to meet and talk to her early on. She was always a big influence on me.
How did you get your start in the news business?
I got my start in the news business at Univision. After graduating from the University of Miami, I was already working on TV and was able to make the transition to news.
Did your training start at UM?
I received my official news training at the University of Miami. It helped me hone in on my news gathering capabilities and get the experience I needed to make a smooth transition from entertainment to news.
What big takeaway from your UM education helped you the most in your career?
My big takeaway from my years at UM are love of community, a passion for education, confidence in myself, and receiving the tools I needed to succeed in my chosen career.
