WEST SUBURBAN MOM & NEWS ANCHOR FOR ABC-7 CHICAGO
SHARES ON CHILDHOOD, LIFE AROUND TOWN & HER FAVORITE INTERVIEW
Judy knew she wanted to pursue journalism as a career when she joined the high school newspaper. Since she always loved learning about people and exploring what’s going on around her, Judy thought reporting for the school paper would be exciting.
“I actually watched ABC-7 news at 4pm every day after school and thought, ‘I wonder if I could do that one day’, and today I am anchoring the exact same newscast that I watched as a child – it’s truly a dream come true,” Judy says. “That gives me goosebumps when I think about it still.”
Judy anchors ABC-7 Eyewitness News 11am with Terrell Brown and the 4pm news with Rob Elgas. Additionally, Judy hosts a long format interview segment that airs on Sunday mornings called "Newsviews".
Although she is in the limelight and has interviewed some very famous people, including Oprah, President Obama, Mike Ditka, Jane Seymour, and Joan Rivers, the interview that impacted her the most was a little boy raising money for an experimental cancer treatment.
“I remember asking him what he was looking forward to do when he was better. I thought he would say “playing with friends”, but his answer was, “I just want to see my mommy happy”. In the end, they did raise enough that day for his treatment, but the little boy passed away just before he was able to make the trip.
“It just reminds me every day how precious life is… how special families are… and how the stories we tell can really make a difference,” Judy shares. “In this case, we helped the family raise enough money… but we just couldn’t give the little boy any more time.”
Judy knows how priceless family time is - she has four children of her own and their hugs help her through those tough stories. In west suburbia, she is just another gal on the block; sometimes a soccer mom, Little League mom, Boy Scout mom, or ballet mom. She believes in teaching her children the values of trust, honesty, and a strong work ethic.
Even while raising four kids and working full time, Judy also finds time to volunteer at the DuPage Children’s Museum, Bridge Communities, Walk the Walk for Autism, Naperville’s Lantern Festival, and so many more.
The Hinsdale mom loves the variety each day brings and the ability to meet many different people from all walks of life. –Kristen Kucharski, Photo by Mike Catuara
