My first live shot EVER. I have to remember the moment! Here it is!

​(I took this photo in my living room. The weird looking things at the bottom of the screen are the snowmen I had out for winter!)

Hello Kansas City! I'm the new weekend morning anchor for KCTV5!

I am so thrilled about this move, for both my career and my personal life. I jumped more than 100 markets to get to Kansas City. At age 25, I'm an anchor in a top 35 market. It still blows my mind!

And the cherry on top? I live less than 10 minutes away from work! No more long commutes, spending 2+ hours on the road every day, threatened by deer. (By the way, my car is STILL in the shop since my November 3rd crash.) My husband is a medical student at the University of Kansas in Kansas City, so the new job also means more time with him. So many blessings!

KCTV5 is a fantastic station with fantastic people. I'm so excited to work with them, further explore my home of Kansas City, and grow as a journalist! I start in January!

Be sure to like my Facebook page Natalie Davis and follow me on Twitter @NatalieKCTV5

It's been an incredible two years working at this station, my first job in the news industry. I've learned so much while wearing lots of different hats. Of course my main job was morning anchor, but I also worked as executive producer, reporter, photographer, editor, web journalist, lion tamer... you name it!

I had the chance to dig deep into some fantastic stories: how Kansas' Fort Riley soldiers are joining the fight against ISIS; a 6-year-old burn victim's process of healing; teachers behaving badly with students; President Obama visiting the University of Kansas; a program that uses magic to engage with kids with disabilities; an exclusive, 30-minute interview with Kansas Governor Sam Brownback; and more.

I sang at the NCAA 2015 Men's Soccer Championship game at Sporting KC in Kansas City. Congrats to Stanford on the win! I had a blast with my husband and friends Caitie and Kade chowing down on free food and hanging out on the sidelines. My sweet husband Alex had some trouble hitting record so the first few seconds is missing. 

I've been meaning to write this update for a while, but working, planning a wedding, moving twice, and just LIFE in general caused some delay. Better late than never!

I've been the morning anchor and reporter for Kansas First News for about 8 months now and I absolutely love it. KSNT has given me ample opportunity to not only grow as an anchor, but also as a reporter and producer. While working the vampire shift, 1 a.m. to 10 a.m., this job has challenged me. But the challenges have been absolutely worth it. I love what I do. And even though I could be making more money (A LOT more money) working as a chemist or pharmaceutical sales rep or some other job that's gained with a bachelor's in chemistry, it isn't worth it to me. Journalism is my calling, at least for now, and I thank God often for leading me down this path.

Most recent exciting news: Our morning newscast won second place at the Kansas Association of Broadcasters Awards this year! Yay!

Follow me on Twitter @NatalieC_Davis 

Another fun part of my job: community appearances! I attended Winter Wonderland for TARC, emceed Day of Dance for St. Francis, volunteered with the Boys and Girls Club and performed at their fund raising event, volunteered at the Blarney Breakfast for the Easter Seals Capper Foundation and spoke at their Autism Summit, emceed an art event for the Family Service and Guidance Center, performed and hosted for the Topeka Festival Singers concert... and more!

The best part of my job though? My coworkers! I work with an incredibly talented, loved-by-all meteorologist named Tom Hagen. Kim Reeves worked as my producer for the first 7 months. She has since left to start a new chapter in Washington D.C. Nicole Randall has taken on the role of producer and she is fantastic! She brings sunshine to our otherwise dark, night time shift. I trust our director Tim Claiborne with my life every day on the air. And Rocky Arnold, our photographer and editor extraordinaire, never ceases to entertain me with his sarcasm. We're a small crew at night, but a tight-knit one. I love working with them all!

This field is the perfect blend of everything I love: learning, communication, performance, creativity, and community involvement. I'm looking forward to growing even more as a TV journalist in the coming years.

June 28, 2014 was the most magical day for Alex and me! Thank you to all of our loved ones who made it so special! We truly felt like the most loved people in the world that weekend. We love you back! Thank you for blessing us!

Click here to see our amazing wedding highlight video by AB Rich Films!

Take a look below at some highlights from the weekend! 
(Most photos courtesy of Janelle Elise Photography)

I did my mom's makeup...

The dress.

Reading love letters.

How much do I love my girls?

Might I reiterate how much I love my girls?
...

First look with Dad. He makes me laugh... he makes me cry. Love my Papa Bear!

Even Papa W got choked up!

And these!

These guys are pretty spectacular!

When it comes to family... Alex and I hit the blessing jackpot.

Newlywed photos at Embassy Suites Bloomington.

Grand march to "Party Rock Anthem" by LMFAO.

First dance to "I Don't Dance" by Lee Bryce.

Reception details.

Now it's REALLY official!

Toasts!

This guy stole the show.

Let the Table Race BEGIN!

Great examples...

Bouquet toss!
The winner is... Caitie Flanigan!

Garter toss! 
1. Alex totally killed it!
2. The winner is... Alex's groomsman, Kade! 
(also Caitie's boyfriend. How perfect!)

Our friends know how to party!

I am so honored to have received 10 college journalism awards for 2013! Congratulations to everyone at UTVS News who received awards as well.  St. Cloud State University (per usual) has done incredibly well this awards season. I'm thankful for the affirmation that I indeed picked the right career. I'm loving my job as the morning anchor and reporter for Kansas First News in Topeka (I'll be providing an update on that soon!). I'm looking forward to the next chapter in my journalism career!

BEA Festival of Media Arts (national competition):
Third Place, Television News Anchor - "Natalie Davis Anchor"
First Place, Television Newscast (airing 4/5 days a week) - "UTVS News"

NATAS Upper Midwest Emmy Student Production Awards:
Talent - "Natalie Davis Anchor"
General Reporting - "Feeding the Hungry"
General Reporting - "911 Emergency"

SPJ Mark of Excellence Awards:
First Place, General Reporting - "Feeding the Hungry" (this story will advance to the national competition!)
Finalist, Feature Reporting - "Steps of Hope for Autism"
Best All-Around Newscast - "UTVS News"

NBNA Eric Sevareid Awards:
Award of Merit, Broadcast Writing - "Protecting Your Information"
First Place, Newscast - "UTVS News"

I'm proud to say my academic journey is ending and my career is finally beginning! The past year and a half has been a complete whirlwind. In May 2012, I had my Chemistry degree from St. Olaf College in hand, but I knew I was headed in a different direction. 

I was completely terrified to start over. I've always been the type of person to pick a direction and stick to it no matter what, so to acknowledge and accept that my heart was calling me to a different path was pretty daunting. My parents gave me the courage and support I needed to go back to school and follow my passions. I have them to thank for everything I am and everything I've accomplished in my life.

So I gave up my Miss Minnesota title a month later and enrolled in an online class at St. Cloud State to get started on a degree in Mass Communications. I started as a full-time student that September and dove headfirst into a brand new, exciting world. 

I had NO idea what I was doing at first, but I had a burning desire to immerse myself and learn everything I possibly could. I auditioned to be an anchor for UTVS News and was given a spot as an evening news anchor. I also reported, produced and worked tech positions for UTVS News. I periodically reported in Spanish for UTVS News en Español. I anchored and helped with production for a sports show called Husky Mag, and I worked as a video editor and scoreboard operator for Husky Productions, which airs live hockey broadcasts at St. Cloud State. Each of these shows received a slew of state, regional and national awards this year. I'm proud to say I was part of the team. I also feel blessed to have received the Award of Excellence in the Talent category for the 2013 NATAS Upper Midwest Emmy Student Production Awards.  In addition, I worked as a producer for the newscast that received first place from the 2013 College Broadcasters, Inc. National Student Production Awards.

The learning curve I've experienced has been incredible. I have my professors and peers to thank for teaching me so much so quickly. I'm so thankful to my fellow "UTVSers" for coaching me into this business and for being just plain awesome. I can't wait to see each one of them experience tremendous success in the broadcast industry!

I'm also thankful to the professionals I met during my year as Miss Minnesota and my internships at KSTP 5 Eyewitness News and KARE 11 News. They have served as wonderful mentors, and I look forward to staying in touch with them as I move forward in my career.

This week, I graduate Summa Cum Laude from St. Cloud State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mass Communications (TV Broadcast Journalism emphasis).  I complete my last final on Tuesday and head straight to Topeka, Kansas the next day.  I am officially signed on as the new morning anchor and reporter for Kansas First News, and I can't wait to get started!

I'm proud of the work I've done in the past year and a half, and I can't wait to learn and grow more as I continue my journey. Take a look at a small sample of my work!

Anchoring for UTVS News

Local food shelves prepare to serve more people after cuts are made to the supplemental nutrition assistance program (SNAP).

Imagine calling 911 and getting a busy signal. That's what happened to this woman. Stearns County dispatch investigated and found no glitches in the system.

Meet George Zetterwall, a 9-year-old boy with autism. He and his family participate in Steps of Hope, an awareness walk hosted by the Autism Society of Minnesota, every year. They call themselves "Team Cheeseburger."

Police warn St. Cloud residents of possible phone scams, but that's not the only way you're at risk of losing your private information.

This is probably my proudest moment...the best kicker story EVER! The "Harlem Shake" by UTVS News. #producerpower

Finishing up my internship at KARE 11 last week was bittersweet. KARE 11 is the NBC affiliate in the Twin Cities, and I have to tell you, that station is full of incredible people.  I feel so blessed to have been able to spend several months learning from their reporters, photographers, web journalists, producers, assignment editors, and management.  I made so many great connections and even friendships along the way.  I'm going to miss spending time there, but I'm excited to stay in touch with the people I met as I move onto my next chapter.  I received my job offer to become the new morning news anchor and reporter for Kansas First News while I was at KARE 11.  I was obviously ecstatic, and it was wonderful to be surrounded and supported by people in the same business when I found out.  They completely understood my squealing excitement!  Thank you to everyone at KARE 11 for taking the time to get to know me, mentor me, and give me advice during my internship.  I feel truly blessed and hope you'll all stay in touch!

That's right! My career in broadcast journalism has finally begun! It's official! I'm the new morning news anchor and reporter for Kansas First News. I drove down for my in-person interview and audition on Monday, October 28, and they called me a few days later with a job offer! The next month and a half will be a complete whirlwind as I prepare to pick up and move my life to Topeka. I'm thankful to be moving near my fiancé's family, but nervous about leaving my own. Please keep me in your prayers! Thank you to the St. Cloud State professors, the great mentors I have met during my KSTP and KARE 11 internships, and my friends and family for supporting and encouraging me every step of the way. I'm so excited for this new chapter!