National Reporter Teri Okita returns to Hawaii TV

National reporter and KGMB alum, Teri Okita returns to Hawaii as a reporter later this summer with Hawaii News Now.  The longtime Hawaii resident left the islands 14 years ago and has been working for the past 10 as a correspondent for the CBS affiliate Newspath—first out of Washington, D.C. and then, Los Angeles.

Image Courtesy Hawaii News Now.

“I hungered to see where my career would take me,” said Okita. “Now, I’ve discovered, like Dorothy after Oz, that there really is no place like home. I’m excited to return to my ‘news roots’ and to have the chance to work with old friends and colleagues. Most of all, I can’t wait to reconnect with the Hawaii viewers who have always remained close to my heart,” Okita said.

Okita’s journalism background spans 20-years.  She graduated from Santa Clara University with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communications.  Okita’s professional experience includes work at KGMB as a weekday anchor from 1992 to 1996.

While on the mainland at CBS, Okita reported on national and international stories ranging from the 9/11 attack on the Pentagon, the capture of Saddam Hussein and the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. She followed Barack Obama along the Presidential campaign trail in 2008 and covered political campaigns, conventions and debates during multiple election cycles.

“Teri’s a major player in the news business, with important local ties,” said Chris Archer, News/Content Director for Hawaii News Now. “She gets the stories. She knows her stuff,” he said.

Teri’s first day on-air on Hawaii News Now is Monday, August 2, 2010.