Rebecca Thomas is an anchor on ABC15 Daybreak. You can catch her on TV weekdays from 5 a.m. - 7 a.m.
For Rebecca, journalism is a family affair.
Rebecca's grandfather was the managing editor of the Los Angeles Harold Examiner during most of the 1960's and 70's. Her uncle was a photojournalist for the Los Angeles Times. She also wanted to write for a newspaper, but a television internship in college changed all of that.
"There's nothing like the adrenaline rush from live television news," she says. "Our viewers turn to us to get immediate facts -- and the pressure is on."
While a senior in college, she got her start in television as a writer for San Diego's top-rated KUSI Morning News. She graduated from San Diego State University with a degree in journalism in 1999.
Then, it was off to Arizona. She accepted an anchor/reporter position at KYMA in Yuma, where she also worked with ABC 15 Weather Forecaster Kaley O'Kelley.
Before joining ABC15, Rebecca spent five years in her hometown of Palm Springs as an anchor/reporter for KESQ-TV and KMIR-TV. As the primary morning anchor at KMIR, she led continuous coverage of many breaking stories -- including President Bush’s first visit to the Coachella Valley and the devastating Sawtooth Complex Fire that ravaged the high desert near Palm Springs in July of 2006.
Rebecca's experience covering immigration issues gives her well-rounded background in one of the most important issues in our state. She's reported on land issues affecting American homeowners in Punta Banda, Mexico, and labor issues involving the farming industry in Yuma.
Rebecca is excited to continue her career in the Valley of the Sun -- helping Daybreak viewers get their mornings off to a good start. In her spare time, Rebecca can be found hiking the Valley's many trails, working out at the gym, reading (she has a weak spot for Nicholas Sparks' novels), or home decorating. Her family is nearby in Carefree, Surprise, and Queen Creek.
