The Kansas City Press Club will present its 2017 Heart of America awards on June 24, 2017. We will notify award winners that they have won an award (but not which award) by Memorial Day.
The banquet will be held at noon at the Brio Tuscan Grille, 502 Nichols Rd, on the Country Club Plaza.
The guest speaker this year is Kathy Quinn.
Kathy Quinn is an Emmy award-winning journalist born and raised in Kansas City. She reports every morning on FOX 4’s number one morning show. Quinn also produces a weekly franchise called “Pay It Forward” where she surprises viewers with $300.00.
During her career, Kathy has been a radio news anchor and on-air personality, a television reporter and morning TV news anchor, as well as hosting TV shows including a public affairs and TV talk show. Kathy feels lucky to be working in her hometown. She feels that people here trust her and that contributes to her many “exclusive” interviews and stories she’s reported on.
Since Kathy’s background is Mexican and Irish, she has close connections with the community in her hometown. Since she is bilingual, it has been advantageous during her reports. During a house fire in the east bottoms, the victims were brothers who spoke no English. Quinn not only had the report on first, she was able to translate for the fire investigator on the scene.
Kathy got her start in broadcasting at the University of Missouri, Kansas City, where she double-majored in communication studies and history, and minored in women’s studies. Her family is so embedded in the community that they were awarded the “2005 Legacy Award” at UMKC. A career highlight, winning an Emmy Award for a news series called “A Child’s Prayer”—-Kathy detailed the trip of local doctors, including her brother, as they traveled to the Dominican Republic to repair cleft lips and cleft palates on children.
Kathy was also nominated for a second Emmy for her live reports during one of the largest St. Patrick’s Day parades in the U.S., here in Kansas City. She received her first Emmy Award for a Children’s Series, “Be Cool, Be Smart”, which portrayed dangerous situations and ways to avoid them.
Kathy hosts KC Forum on Sunday mornings on KC 102 and Q104, that was awarded a 2006 Society of Professional Journalists honorable mention and a 2014 International “Crime Stoppers” award.
But radio is no stranger to Kathy who also worked at several stations in Dublin, Ireland including Radio Nova, while attending a year of college at the University College in Dublin.
On a dare Kathy auditioned for a part in a Merchant-Ivory film shot here in Kansas City, and she got the part of “Paquita” in “Mr. & Mrs. Bridge” with Paul Newman. She also acted in another Kansas City film with Ray Liotta, “Article 99”.
When she’s not reporting the news Kathy volunteers her time as an auctioneer, career speaker and reporter for the FOX 4 Love Fund for Children.
Kathy’s husband and children work together in several family businesses including Celtic band, THE ELDERS, http://www.
Since Kathy’s family owned one of the first Mexican restaurants in Kansas City, called “Las Palmas”, she also loves to make chicken tacos and Spanish rice for her family. Kathy and Ian have three children, Kian, Kaitlin and Andreina and one grandson, Olan.