Meet Pamela Brown.
As an anchor at ABC we see Pam Brown every weekend when she covers DC’s latest stories and high profile, international news. In 2010 She was one of the few reporters to go to Haiti after the earthquake. Originally from Kentucky, Pam’s father was a politician while her mother was a Ms. America contestant and businesswoman. As a superwoman she also spends a lot of time working with DC’s nonprofits that focus on women issues. We’re so happy she had a moment to chat with us and give us the scoop behind the scoop.
1. What’s the coolest thing about your job?
The unique experiences. Each day has the potential to bring a new and exciting adventure. One of my most memorable experiences is flying all over Haiti in choppers with the military and staying with the search and rescue teams at the U.S. Embassy right after the 2010 earthquake. It gave such an up close and personal viewpoint of what was really taking place. Just this past week I went on a gang ride-along with federal agents in Northern Virginia while wearing a bullet proof vest. I don’t think my mom was too happy about that assignment!
2. What brought you to Washington, DC?
Timing, luck and a good mentor. While in college I expected to start out in a small town and work my way up as a reporter. I always wanted to end up in DC, especially after interning for Hillary Clinton one summer, but that was a distant dream. After I graduated, I went to D.C. for a networking opportunity. During that trip, my current station, ABC7/Newschannel8, “rolled the dice” and decided to hire me. I can’t imagine a better place to grow as a journalist. I have never lost sight of how fortunate I’ve been to launch my career here and I will be forever grateful for that.
3. As a journalist always looking for a story, where is the most unusual place you have found a lead?
A lot of leads come from talking to ordinary people while waiting for a flight at the airport, taking a cab ride or eavesdropping on someone’s conversation at the dinner table right next to mine (yes, my own curiosity gets the best of me sometimes!) One in particular that comes to mind happened while sitting next to a woman at a friend’s birthday dinner. She told me a shocking experience she had as a pregnant graduate student at a local university and it turned into a really compelling story.
4. Tell us a little about Newsbabes and how that got started
My dear friend Angie Goff spearheaded the Newsbabes Bash for Breast Cancer several years ago. It’s a sisterhood of local news women who come together every year to raise money in the fight against breast cancer. Some of the women are breast cancer survivors so it’s very personal. Later this month our event will be at the newly renovated Howard Theatre and 100% of the proceeds will benefit the GW Mammovan, which provides free screenings in local communities (buy your ticket online and join us!) Oh, for the record, we don’t really take ourselves that seriously as actual “newsbabes” — it’s just a name!
5. Michelle Obama calls looking for a fun Friday in DC, what does your day look like?
I’d say leisurely waking up late, taking my dog, Bear, for a long walk, reading a good book by the pool, heading over to Jazz in the Park if it’s nice out, having a group of friends over for pizza (my food obsession)…. And then throwing in some late-night Texas hold ’em poker.