Heather Van Nest, Anchor

Heather Van Nest is co-anchor of the weeknight 5PM, 6 PM and 11 PM newscasts. She joined the 10 Connects news team in October of 2002 as a morning & noon co-anchor.

Heather prides herself on making a difference in the community. She's written stories that have created new laws, solved problems and even changed lives.

She has received several honors since her arrival at WTSP including an Edward R. Murrow Award for "Risky Rays: Don't Get Burned," a news documentary on skin cancer. The American Academy of Dermatology also recognized her efforts on preventing and detecting skin cancer with a national Gold Triangle Award. The Hillsborough County School District is using "Risky Rays" as a teaching tool to warn students about the harmful rays of the sun.

Before joining WTSP, Heather worked as an anchor & consumer investigator at WJXT in Jacksonville, Florida. During her tenure at WJXT, more than a dozen state and local agencies honored her as Northeast Florida's "Consumer Advocate of the Year."

She's received numerous industry awards including investigative and individual achievement awards from the Associated Press, Society of Professional Journalists, Emmy nomination and an Edward R. Murrow Award for team news coverage.

One of her proudest professional moments happened after a series of her investigative reports exposed late model salvaged cars that were being rebuilt and sold to unsuspecting buyers. As a result, in May of 2002, Governor Jeb Bush signed legislation that closed a dangerous loophole in Florida's salvage law.

Heather was born in Orange County, California and also grew up in Minnesota. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin Madison and studied at the Spanish American Institute in Seville, Spain.

Outside of work, Heather advocates the health benefits of eating a fresh, unprocessed, organic diet.

Check out my website Heather's Natural Health.

This will be the 5th year she's walked 60 miles for the Breast Cancer 3 Day.

Heather's also an avid lover of all animals, big and small.

Send Heather an email

Stories from Heather Van Nest