By Bonny Osterhage
Photography by David Teran
Fascinated by “the minutia of politics,” Simone De Alba is driven by public service. The Colorado native holds both political science and journalism degrees and has married these two passions into one successful career.
“Public service is what makes me show up day in and day out,” she explains. “If done correctly and in its purest form, journalism is the quickest way to get answers out of leadership and help your neighbor.”
De Alba’s road to San Antonio had pit stops in Montana and California, each one teaching her life skills that would ultimately shape her path as a journalist. Prior to television, a six-year stint as a behavior therapist for a young woman with autism taught her valuable lessons about people and compassion. Her first job in journalism, an anchor position in Montana, taught her the value of community. And a break from journalism to go to a rural area of Nepal and teach children and young adults with special needs taught her that she could leave her comfort zone and make a tangible difference.
“I was working as a morning anchor in Sacramento. I enjoyed the job, but I felt like something was missing. I wanted to actively participate in journalism that was community-driven and focused on public service.” She made the decision to leave Sacramento in search of reinventing her career on her own terms.
She was in Nepal a month later.
“It was wild and happened quickly,” she describes. “I flew halfway around the world to try something I’d never done before, and although it was extremely difficult, it was rewarding beyond any stretch of my imagination.”
De Alba returned to the states and began the search for what she calls a needle in a haystack. “I really took my time. I needed a station that would allow me the space to grow and evolve as a journalist.”
In November 2020, she found it at News 4 San Antonio. She says the friendly nature of the city has made it easy for her to feel like a part of the community. An ultra-marathon runner, De Alba, and her rescue dog Casper, a 140-pound King Shepard, are getting to know their new home by running trails in preparation for the Habanero 100 race in August.
“I like the general vibe of San Antonio,” she says. “It’s a big city, but it has so much charm. Most of all, I’m grateful and excited to call this city home.”
