News Team

In addition to co-hosting "BUSINESS WORLD NEWS" Mark Kriski can be seen daily on the "KTLA Channel 5 Morning News." His unique style combines astonishing versatility with a driving ambition to provide a lighter look at the news to Los Angeles' early risers.

A 5-time Emmy Award winner (2 personal, 3 for "Morning News"), Kriski was praised in a recent news article by renowned Los Angeles Times television critic, Howard Rosenberg.

Kriski studied radio and television arts at Fanshaw College in London. Kriski's radio career included stints as a DJ, program director, weather announcer and promotion director. He has also appeared in commercials and engaged in voice-over work. Always eager to meet viewers, Kriski makes many personal appearances at KTLA community events and others activities.

Asha Blake has managed to achieve what few women on television have been able to do, work successfully in television news and syndicated daytime programming. During her career, Blake has anchored several national news programs for ABC and NBC news, and won several awards while reporting for four local stations. Over the course of her career, she has earned six Emmy nominations, four of which were just in the last year.

In addition to anchoring the news, she acted as writer, producer, and talent for three different programs and won two Emmys for Best Writer and Best Performer for her show, "Asha Blake: One on One". Those special programs also earned 12 Emmy nominations for her team in 2006.

Previously, Asha co-hosted the national news programs "Later Today" on NBC, and "World News Now," "World News this Morning," and "Good Morning America Sunday" on ABC. She also reported for "World News Tonight with Peter Jennings" on ABC. Regionally, Asha also worked as a news anchor in Detroit, Minneapolis, and Little Rock.

Asha has hosted two nationally syndicated shows: "Smart Gardening" on PBS and "Life Moments", the nationally syndicated daytime women's reality program that celebrated great and unbelievable moments in the lives of every kind of women. "Life Moments was distributed to over 80% of the television markets in the United States, and "Smart Gardening" had wide distribution as well.

She has been actively involved with many charity organizations, including serving as a celebrity ambassador for UNICEF, volunteering for Make A Wish, and supporting Race For A Cure and Meals on Wheels. Following the 9/11 Attacks, Asha created and launched a public service website providing a free advance planning guide to help organize pertinent personal information in the event of an emergency. She is also writing a book version, "4My Emergency," to help families in crisis.

Asha was born in South America and raised in Toronto and Minnesota. She received her Bachelor's Degree from the University of Minnesota Journalism School. She has a daughter, Sasha, and has a passion for photography, rollerblading, cooking and reading.

Taylor Thoen has spent most of her life as an entrepreneur, owning, investing, managing, and operating successful ventures in numerous industries for over 13 years. As a veteran of the TV industry, Taylor recognized a void for a savvy, nationally broadcast business program in North America. With her drive, and genuine interest in the entrepreneurial spirit, in 1997, Taylor launched BTV - Business Television, a program profiling "The Companies that Count." The show now reaches more than 55 million households in the US and Canada. Taylor has had the privilege of profiling over 200 companies and interviewing top CEOs and Presidents of North America’s most renowned businesses. Taylor was awarded by Business in Vancouver as one of B.C.'s top business achievers under the age of forty.

Penny Griego was most recently seen anchoring Channel 2 "Action News." She also served as general assignment reporter upon joining KCBS-TV in September 1986. Recently, Penny has expanded her repertoire by landing reporter roles in the feature films "Volcano" and "Mighty Joe Young," the television movie, "The Last Don," and the TV shows "Mad About You" and "Time Travelers 2000."

Penny came to KCBS-TV, Channel 2 from KCNC-TV, Denver, CO., where she had been anchor of the weekend broadcasts since 1984 and general assignment reporter since 1983. While there, she was nominated for an Emmy Award for her live coverage of the Mexico City earthquake.

Throughout her KCBS-TV career, Penny received various honors for her work including several Emmy Award nominations and a Golden Mike Award. Community work plays an important role in Penny's life. She is a frequent speaker at civic and community events and has been involved in various philanthropic endeavors that benefit Latino children.

A native of Albuquerque, Griego graduated with a B.A. in Journalism for the University of New Mexico.

Eight-time Emmy Award-winner Mario Machado has been a professional news broadcaster and producer since 1967. His unique cultural background makes Mario a vital force in the nation's ethnic communities and has fostered his involvement in numerous Asian-Pacific, Hispanic and other multicultural broadcasting projects and special events. He hosted EL ESPEJO- THE REFLECTION OF OUR LIVES, a pioneering 14 part TV series on Hispanics in America and Hispanic Culture sponsored by USC for syndication on the Public Broadcasting System as well as the Emmy-nominated, prime time special THE TREASURES OF MEXICO. Most recently Mario was awarded his 8th Emmy as host of a television special, U.S. CITIZENSHIP: A DREAM COME TRUE seen worldwide, in over 120 countries.

In 1994 the County of Los Angeles bestowed on him the John Anson Ford Humanitarian Award for his efforts to bring people of all colors, races and religions together. In 1995, Los Angeles County named him their Humanitarian of the Year.

Mario is fluent in Spanish, Chinese and Portuguese.

Amy Hendel, R-PAC, PhD Candidate, AFAA, ACSM, IDEA

Amy is a regular host, correspondent, and moderator on such programming as: “HWN,” “Extra,” “Women 2 Women” on KCBS; bookradio.com; Good Day LA on Fox; and WebMD.com. She has completed over 200 live and taped segments covering medical and health topics, nutrition, exercise and lifestyle issues. She holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology and Exercise Physiology from the prestigious program at LIU/Brooklyn Hospital, and is a registered and certified Physician’s Assistant in Internal and Dependency Medicine. Currently, Amy is a Certified Personal Trainer, a member of the International Association of Fitness Professionals, the Founder and President of One on One Fitness (a private consulting firm) in Encino, California, and the Creator of BodyJam.com, a multi-disciplinary workout system and website. Amy Hendel lives in Los Angeles with her husband, a doctor of Pulmonary Medicine at USC, and their two children. She and her husband regularly attend medical seminars together.

Mark Bedor has been an NBC, ABC and CBS affiliate television news writer, anchor, reporter and Special Host for 15 years. Additionally, since his acting era on the NBC award-winning daytime drama "Days of Our Lives," his face has become one of the most recognizable faces on television today.

Mark has acted as spokesperson for such prestigious clients as McDonnell Douglas and UNOCAL. Another recent project he hosted won an Emmy for Best Documentary

Rick Chavez is a 21-year veteran of radio and television broadcasting. He began his career in the United States Air Force, serving with the American Forces Radio and Television Service (AFRTS) from 1977-1979. Rick worked as Sports Director at KTSM-TV in El Paso, Texas in 1980 then left in 1981 to head up the Sports department at KRIS-TV in Corpus Christi, Texas.

In 1985, Rick began anchoring weekends at KNTV-TV, the ABC affiliate in San Jose, California. He became Sports Director in 1992. He is now a Sports anchor with KGO-TV, the ABC owned-and-operated station in San Francisco, as well as host and producer of an upcoming business radio show on KBPA-1220.

Karina Rusk began her broadcast career in 1985 as a producer. She has since worked as a writer, reporter and anchor at ABC, CBS, NBC affiliates and PBS. In addition, Karina has won recognition from her peers for Best News Reporting with awards from RTNDA and The Associated Press and several awards from the same organizations for Best 60-Minute News Broadcast. Karina has been the six and eleven o'clock news anchor for the CBS affiliate in the Monterey/Salinas market. She is noted for her outstanding contributions to such organizations as The Special Olympics, The American Heart Association and the Cancer Society.

Pat Matthews began a brilliant career in radio entertaining fans on both coasts as a host of a morning talk show, accompanied with Program Directing. After 17 years of Radio, Pat moved on to do television news reporting and anchoring. Pat's talents also encompass special appearances in film, TV, theatre and commercials. Pat is also currently heavily into Internet Radio. He has an award winning station of his own, Beatles-A-Rama!!! and programs stations for various businesses looking to enhance their visibility on the net.

Debbie Dujanovic is an award winning television journalist in Salt Lake City, Utah. She's spent ten years reporting news for FOX and the ABC affiliate in Salt Lake. Her coverage includes the 2002 Winter Olympic Games, Operation Desert Storm, and for three years she was the lead consumer reporter at the ABC station. In 1993 she was awarded a regional Emmy. Before moving to Utah in 1990, Debbie worked as an assignment editor at the CBS affiliate in Phoenix, Arizona.

Kyla Grogan currently reports for Fox Five News in Las Vegas. Previous to that she was the face of úThe U.S. Business Worldî a highly rated show shot in New York City for NHK Japan. As a stage performer Kyla has been seen in the national companies of The Duke Ellington Songbook starring Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr., Smokey Joe's Caf¸, The Radio City Christmas Spectacular and Beehive as well as internationally in Starlight Express. In addition to her appearances on stage, Kyla has backed rock-n-roll legend Ronnie Spector in concert and on television including Late Night with Conan O'Brien and at New York's famed club The Bottom Line.

Tamara Taggart has a nine year history as one of Vancouver's top newscasters. Along with her reporting duties for BWN, she can often be seen as an on-air personality at VTV, Vancouver's newest television station. Tamara also produces and hosts an on-air feature called "Vancouver Alive," seen weekly.

Award winning reporter Berit Mason began her television career as an intern with CNN's Washington D.C. covering the U.S. Supreme Court. After tackling and training on the tough issues of America's judiciary she continued her career in Texas. Berit was a news producer and assignment editor for the ABC and CBS affiliate in San Antonio before moving on to Houston where she was a news announcer for KPRC AM, the city's top rated talk radio station.

Berit was named the best reporter by the Texas Association of Broadcasters in 1997 while working as a primetime anchor and reporter in West Texas. She continued her career in Waco, covering the infamous Branch Davidians and their current lawsuit against the federal government. In September 1999, she was selected in a nationwide search to be a German-American Exchange Journalist visiting the country and meeting top German officials, amongst them, former Chancellor Helmut Kohl. From this experience, she created and produced a five part series for her station in Germany entitled úThe Old Countryî which aired for the November sweeps.

Berit received her B.A. in political science from Austin College in Texas.

NORM McBRIDE, a native Californian, has been on the air in San Jose, San Diego, Tucson, Phoenix, and over ten years in the Los Angeles market, including eight years as the morning air personality and host of the KNAC Java Klub. He has reported on such outstanding companies as Yamaha, Toyota, Disney, Canon, Chrysler, Dodge, ChevroletÚand has appeared in Movies of the week for CBS and NBC. He also has over 250 videos to his credit including those for NASA, The U S Navy, Boeing, National Forest Service, Mazda, Beckman Coulter, and Toshiba.

Mike Stevens is a nearly 20 year news broadcasting veteran, working at numerous stations from coast to coast.

Mike has been Weekend Anchor at WGNX-TV in Atlanta, Primary Anchor at KXTL-TV in Sacramento, Morning fill-in Anchor/Reporter at WCAU-TV in Philadelphia, Morning and Noon Anchor at WSYX-TV in Columbus, Ohio and Weekend and Morning Anchor at WBTW-TV in Florence, South Carolina.

Mike has also worked at several radio stations, in cities which include: Philadelphia, Atlanta, Sacramento and in Long Island, NY.

Mike is married with 4 sons and currently works as our Atlanta news correspondent.