Leah Shields’ news coverages are just as good in the WTLV-WJXX studio as they are when she’s reporting on the ground. And the people of Jacksonville like her in both roles. Shields moved to a town she’d never heard of to pursue her journalism career three years ago. It was heartening to see how warmly the community embraced her. However, the reporter has now announced her departure. Leah Shields is leaving First Coast News for a new opportunity. Read on to find out where Leah Shields is going and if she is also leaving the Sunshine State.
Leah Shields to Exit First Coast News
A Florida native, Leah Shields graduated in 2016 with a bachelor’s degree in telecommunications from the University of Florida in Gainesville. While pursuing her degree, she served as a political anchor for WUFT-TV’s First at Five, a PBS member television owned by the University of Florida. She even reported and produced stories for WUFT-FM, an NPR member radio station also owned by the university.
Moreover, Shields also served as a campus correspondent for GVH Live. The reporter also got the opportunity to cover millennials in the midterm elections for the Sunshine State at the University of Florida.
Leah Shields has also served as a campus associate for the Fox News Channel and associate producer for WCJB TV20 News.
In January 2017, Shields started her professional career as a reporter at WPSD Local 6 in Paducah, Kentucky. The young reporter was promoted in 2018 to a weekend anchor for Local 6 Saturday and the station’s Sunday evening newscasts.
Shields returned to her home state during the COVID-19 pandemic and joined WTLV-WJXX First Coast News as a reporter. She was part of the vaccine team and began reporting on vaccination advancements in Jacksonville and fielding concerns from the public about the COVID injections.
The reporter also volunteers for the American Heart Association as the cause is very close to her heart. Shields was born with a heart defect called Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) and had open heart surgery in 1995 and 2010. She contributes to fundraising efforts and public awareness campaigns for heart disease and stroke by serving as an actual example of the advantages of research.
Leah Shields has now decided to hang up her reporter hat after six years in the business. She is leaving First Coast News, and April 25, 2023, will be her last day at the station.
Also Read: KEYE-TV Reporter Emily Chavez Has Left CBS Austin
While talking about her next chapter, Shields confirmed that she is not leaving Jacksonville and said, “I’ll keep you updated on what’s next. Just know an opportunity presented itself and I couldn’t say no. Always believe in yourself & take a leap of faith?”
Update: Leah Shields started her new job in May 2023. She is the communications and engagement specialist at the State Attorney’s Office, 4th Judicial Circuit in Jacksonville.
