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On first meeting Kathy Park in person, one can see right away that the Emmy-nominated anchor and reporter for ABC 7 and NewsChannel 8 is at home at WJLA-TV station in Rosslyn.

She glides confidently through the halls, blue blazer swooshing, past the brilliant Politico journalists–in the Arlington, Virginia station as part of the Allbritton Communications Company–past her nice cubicle with its well-organized desk, through more halls and finally lands in the conference room.

In crossword puzzles, the two-word synonym for success is “Go far.” Doubtless, that’s where Kathy is headed. Right now, for the interview, her goal is to reach the conference room, but her real destination is the national stage. She says, “I like to do hard news, but my dream job is to get a spot on a morning show.”

She thinks ABC Evening News Anchor Diane Sawyer is “cool and natural.” She enjoyed watching Diane’s chemistry with Robin Roberts, and the cast and crew, cozy as a family on “Good Morning America.”

In college, Kathy liked writing feature stories for the paper. “I always liked the lighter stories, personality stories, where you spend the time to get to know the other person.” Hard news, features? Anchor, or reporter? She likes both, but admits, “There are days when I am eager to bolt out the door and interview people.”

Kathy can do it all: Wear two hats, cover hard news or human interest stories. Assistant News Director Yolanda Massey of NewsChannel 8, which currently celebrates its 20th year perched on its “24-7 local news” niche, has worked with Kathy for three years now.

She said in an email interview: “Kathy has great presence on camera. She has a great ability to be both authoritative and accessible, and that comes across in both her reporting and her anchoring. It makes her very versatile and allows her to bring the appropriate tone and gravitas to serious stories, while also being able to bring some fun and creativity to the lighter pieces.”

She added: “When she’s reporting, Kathy always comes to the table with great story ideas. Not just one, but several good, unique ideas that I haven’t heard from other reporters or seen on the wires or in the paper. She has a good understanding of what really makes a good story and what viewers will connect with.”

Longtime NewsChannel 8/ABC7 Forecaster Dave Zahren predicts “Kathy will be sharing her sunny nature with audiences at stations lucky enough to get her for years to come… I have great respect for her professionalism both on the air and off, as I watch her reach out to help her colleagues and seek their advice. She is such an asset to the station.”

Unflappable

“Unflappable, articulate, and with a deft sense of humor, Kathy is the very model of a television anchor,” Dave wrote in an email. “We have worked together now for the past few years, and my appreciation for her skills continues to grow.”

Dave first met Kathy when she was covering stories in the Prince George’s County Public Schools, where he works as a TV specialist.

He recalled: “Reporter Kathy was a one-woman operation, toting her own camera and tripod, shooting the story, getting her sound bites, and then hustling back to the station to track and package her piece for air.”

“Kathy always seems to know who the key players are at news events and what it is that will make a story interesting and useful for her audience,” he noted. “Reporting a recent story on bat research at the University of Maryland, Kathy conveyed just the right amount of fascination and fear those winged creatures evoke!”

Remarked Assistant News Director Massey: “I’ve always said that so-called ‘one man band’ reporters have the toughest job in this newsroom. Not only do they have to shoot, write and edit their own stories, but they also have to lug around their equipment and navigate traffic on their own. Kathy is able to do all of that and make it look easy. I really can’t remember her ever missing a deadline.”

“She’s smart and hard working, and she doesn’t shy away from tough assignments or constructive criticism,” she added in her email.

No wonder Kathy Park is an ace reporter and weekend anchor. She also credits her newspaper experience in college. On TV, she has paid her dues as intern and staff, covering stories in small towns. Working on different stories has made her a versatile, tough-as-nails reporter, without losing the human touch.

She recalls covering the Tri-cities of Bristol, Virginia/Tennessee, Kingsport, Tennessee and Johnson City, “an eye-opener for one who grew up in the suburbs.” Reporting on a tornado that cut through the place and wiped out a small town, she was touched at “how much the community comes together in a time of need.” She told the story that helped fast track response.

But even on routine stories, she sparkles, because she loves what she does. Look at the recent stories she covered. They’re not exactly earthshaking news: Local group Linux4Hope donates computers to needy; Montgomery County Council votes to take another look at development plans for dozens of townhouses in Silver Spring.

Kathy’s Choice

Having gone the circuitous route, Kathy loves her job with a passion that probably surprises even her. She recalls her journey, and the choice she made (broadcast journalism over print media), and says with a smile, “I’m glad it kind of worked out well.”

Kathy anchors “live” news shows at 7 a.m., 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. She does her own make-up, and why not? She has a radiant skin tone, and to be sure, she has youth on her side. Told that she looks prettier in person, she wrinkles her nose and laughs, “I get a lot of that!”

A first generation Korean American, Kathy grew up in Silver Spring and graduated cum laude from the University of Maryland. She began her career in journalism as a reporter for Capital News Service while still an undergraduate student.

She interned at the DIY Network and NBC4’s consumer unit with Liz Crenshaw, admitting, “It was a thrill working next to people you grew up watching.”

She interned for “Hardball” with Chris Matthews on MSNBC. Matthews was “a really sharp guy,” she quips, who could wing it in interviews even without the backgrounders she and the others had diligently come up with. She also worked for the CBS affiliate in Phoenix as a Meredith-Cronkite fellow.

Kathy came back to Virginia with the NBC affiliate in Bristol, Virginia. As a beat reporter in South West Virginia, she covered it all–from tornados to Nascar events at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Back in the nation’s capital, she covered several major news stories. Among these were the historic inauguration of President Obama, the D.C. Metro disaster, and the blizzard of 2010, which earned her an Emmy nomination.

Kathy’s plate is full as it is. But she still finds time to do civic and community work. She’s the D.C. chapter president of the Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA). Recently, she emceed the 22nd anniversary gala of the Conference on Asian Pacific American Leadership (CAPAL). Previously, CAPAL approached her to emcee a fundraising event for Japan’s tsunami relief efforts.

If you are interested in booking Kathy for a public appearance, the station advises you to contact Director of Community Relations Abby Fenton at afenton@wjla.com. Please make sure your email includes the following: 1) Name of the organization, 2) Event Date, 3) Time of the event, 4) Number of people expected to attend, 5) County, 6) Event location, and 7) Role at the event (presumably as emcee, speaker, or ribbon-cutting personality to formally open an event).

Kathy reflects on her career so far and credits her parents, their unconditional love and support and their values. “My parents are Jeoul and Richard Park, originally from South Korea. I have a younger brother, William, a senior at the University of Maryland, College Park.”

She notes: “When my brother and I came into this world, my parents made us their top priorities. They made a commitment to provide the best opportunities for their children, regardless of the challenges of being immigrant parents.

“They proved that dedication, hard work and passion can open doors, and they instilled those values in me at an early age.

“I remember in elementary school running for president, and my parents staying up late with me as I finished putting together my campaign badges and posters. Now, they’re losing sleep as they try to wake up to catch my early morning newscasts!

“Having that fighting spirit is one thing, but having two such powerful influences in my life allowed me to aim higher.”