Jennifer Peñate will join WCVB Boston as weekend evening anchor and general assignment reporter beginning on June 28. She will co-anchor weekend evening newscasts with Shaun Chaiyabhat and will report during the week.
Peñate comes from WFLA-WTTA Tampa, where she anchored English-language newscasts on both stations, and created and anchored WTTA’s Spanish-language newscast Noticias Tampa Hoy. Peñate was also a contributor to TampaHoy.com, the station’s Spanish-language news site.
“Jennifer is a talented journalist whose experience and values will make her an excellent addition to WCVB,” WCVB president and general manager Kyle I. Grimes said. “She has also been long dedicated to public service having volunteered for numerous nonprofit organizations as well as founding her own focused on mentorship. Jennifer’s journalism excellence combined with her commitment to her community make her a perfect fit for the WCVB team.”
Peñate was born in El Salvador and grew up in both Los Angeles and Northwest Arkansas. In 2015, she created Girls Unstoppable to empower young Latinas through a curriculum that focuses on overcoming obstacles, developing confidence and higher education.
“WCVB NewsCenter 5 is proud of its long legacy of journalists who are not only dedicated to providing exceptional news and information to the market, but equally as passionate about public service,” news director Margaret Cronan said. “Jennifer is an accomplished journalist who is looking forward to putting her energetic storytelling skills to work on the anchor desk and on the streets of our communities. She is an ideal addition to the NewsCenter 5 team, and we are thrilled to welcome her to the WCVB family.”
Peñate began her career in 2011 as a reporter at KODE Joplin (Missouri). Before her time at WFLA-WTTA, a Nexstar Media Group-owned NBC-MyNetworkTV duo, Peñate spent three years as evening anchor at KNWA Fayetteville (Arkansas).
“I am humbled to be joining WCVB, one of the most highly regarded television stations in the country,” Peñate said. “I look forward to anchoring the weekend evening news with Shaun as well as contributing to the excellent journalism and impactful public service provided to the community by the Channel 5 team every day.”
Hearst Television-owned WCVB is the ABC affiliate for Boston, Nielsen’s No. 9 DMA, and is the market leader.
