Liz Brunner is an American journalist in the Boston area. Currently, she is a co-anchor with WCVB-TV

WCVB-TV

WCVB-TV, channel 5, is a television station located in Boston, Massachusetts, owned by Hearst Television and affiliated with the ABC Television Network. WCVB-TV's studios and transmitter are co-located in Needham, Massachusetts. WCVB is also one of six Boston television stations seen in Canada by...

 in Boston

Boston

Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...

 on News Center 5 at 6p.m.. She also co-anchors the Friday edition of the 5pm and 11pm newscasts and serves as an on-scene reporter and anchor for WCVB-TV's coverage of major news events.

Early years

Brunner was Born in Hartford, Connecticut

Hartford, Connecticut

Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making...

 to Mary Chacko Russell, a retired medical social worker and Reverend Galen E. Russell Jr., a Pastor of the United Church of Christ

United Church of Christ

The United Church of Christ is a mainline Protestant Christian denomination primarily in the Reformed tradition but also historically influenced by Lutheranism. The Evangelical and Reformed Church and the Congregational Christian Churches united in 1957 to form the UCC...

. Chacko, born and raised in India, met Russell in Japan

Japan

Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

 where Russell's parents served as missionaries.

Brunner was raised along with her three younger brothers in Hawaii

Hawaii

Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...

 and Pekin, Illinois

Pekin, Illinois

Pekin is a the county seat of Tazewell County in the U.S. state of Illinois. Located on the Illinois River, Pekin is also the largest city of Tazewell County, and a key part of the Peoria metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, its population is 34,094. A small portion of the city limits extends...

. Brunner graduated from Pekin High School and in 1979, competed in the Miss America Pageant as Miss Illinois.

Brunner attended and earned a Bachelor of Music Degree from Lawrence University

Lawrence University

Lawrence University is a selective, private liberal arts college with a nationally recognized conservatory of music, in Appleton, Wisconsin. Lawrence University is known for its rigorous academic environment. Founded in 1847, the first classes were held on November 12, 1849...

's Conservatory of Music in Appleton, Wisconsin

Appleton, Wisconsin

Appleton is a city in Outagamie, Calumet, and Winnebago Counties in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. It is situated on the Fox River, 30 miles southwest of Green Bay and 100 miles north of Milwaukee. Appleton is the county seat of Outagamie County. The population was 78,086 at the 2010 census...

. Upon graduation, Brunner became a music teacher in Richton Park, Illinois

Richton Park, Illinois

Richton Park is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 12,533 at the 2000 census. It is bordered by Matteson to the north, Park Forest to the east, University Park and Crete to the south.-Geography:...

. Additionally, she sang semi-professionally with the Park Forest Singers and performed for Pope John Paul II

Pope John Paul II

Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...

 at the Vatican

Apostolic Palace

The Apostolic Palace is the official residence of the Pope, which is located in Vatican City. It is also known as the Sacred Palace, the Papal Palace and the Palace of the Vatican...

. After leaving music, Brunner worked for Caren Charles and was among the company's top sales associates.

Brunner's family's ancestry has been traced back to William Morse

William Morse

-External links:...

, inventor of the Morse Code

Morse code

Morse code is a method of transmitting textual information as a series of on-off tones, lights, or clicks that can be directly understood by a skilled listener or observer without special equipment...

 and William Brewster

William Brewster

William Brewster may refer to:*William Brewster , Pilgrim and Mayflower passenger*William Brewster , ornithologist*William K. Brewster, Democratic politician and a retired U.S. Congressman from Oklahoma...

 who captained the Mayflower

Mayflower

The Mayflower was the ship that transported the English Separatists, better known as the Pilgrims, from a site near the Mayflower Steps in Plymouth, England, to Plymouth, Massachusetts, , in 1620...

.

Television

In 1985, Brunner took her first job in television at the CBS affiliate WCIA-TV in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois. During her three years as community relations coordinator, Brunner served as the liaison between the television station and the community. Brunner wrote and produced public service announcements, hosted a talk show covering organization's serving the Champaign community, coordinated the station's speaker's bureau, and served on a three women weather team.

Upon leaving Illinois, Brunner joined WTVT-TV, Tampa Bay

Tampa Bay

Tampa Bay is a large natural harbor and estuary along the Gulf of Mexico on the west central coast of Florida, comprising Hillsborough Bay, Old Tampa Bay, Middle Tampa Bay, and Lower Tampa Bay."Tampa Bay" is not the name of any municipality...

's CBS affiliate (now a Fox station) as the director of community relations. Within a year, Brunner was named co-anchor of the early morning news. In 1991, Brunner was awarded the "Up and Comers Award" from the American Women in Radio and Television, now called, the Alliance for Women in Media. Additionally, Brunner hosted "Tampa Bay's Talking," and numerous prime time specials.

After five years in Tampa, Brunner's was hired by WCVB-TV, Channel 5, the ABC affiliate in Boston, as correspondent and fill-in anchor for the award winning, nighly news magazine show, Chronicle

Chronicle

Generally a chronicle is a historical account of facts and events ranged in chronological order, as in a time line. Typically, equal weight is given for historically important events and local events, the purpose being the recording of events that occurred, seen from the perspective of the...

. Within a year, Brunner also became co-anchor of the EyeOpener newscast and a health reporter at Channel 5.

Quickly, Brunner moved into a full-time role in Channel 5's news department becoming the 5:30 and 11pm anchor. Later, Brunner was selected to fill the space vacated by long-time Boston news anchor, Natalie Jacobson

Natalie Jacobson

Natalie Jacobson was for a quarter-century a well-regarded and popular television newscaster with WCVB-TV in Boston, Massachusetts....

, as the 6pm NewsCenter 5 Anchor.

Over the course of her tenure at WCVB, Brunner has won several journalism awards; Two New England Emmies, Two Gracies from the Alliance for Women in Media, the Edward R. Murrow Award, and an Associated Press Award.

Presently, Ms. Brunner serves as the Executive Vice President of American Women in Radio and Television, Boston chapter. .

Community Work

Brunner is widely regarded across Boston as a leader in the philanthropic community. She works with numerous charities including: the American Heart Association

American Heart Association

The American Heart Association is a non-profit organization in the United States that fosters appropriate cardiac care in an effort to reduce disability and deaths caused by cardiovascular disease and stroke. It is headquartered in Dallas, Texas...

, the American Red Cross

American Red Cross

The American Red Cross , also known as the American National Red Cross, is a volunteer-led, humanitarian organization that provides emergency assistance, disaster relief and education inside the United States. It is the designated U.S...

, the Berkshire Hills Music Academy, the Make-A-Wish Foundation

Make-A-Wish Foundation

The Make-A-Wish Foundation is a 501 non-profit organization founded in the United States that grants wishes to children who have life-threatening medical conditions. The charity now operates in forty-seven countries around the world through thirty-six affiliate offices.The president & CEO of this...

, the Home for Little Wanderers, the March of Dimes

March of Dimes

The March of Dimes Foundation is a United States nonprofit organization that works to improve the health of mothers and babies.-Organization:...

, and many others.

Personal

In August, 2010, Ms. Brunner married Boston businessman Craig Stockmal in New York.

Awards

• Two time winner of a New England Emmy by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences
  National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences
  The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences or NATAS was created in 1955 to advance the arts and sciences of television. Headquartered in New York, NATAS's membership is national and the organization has local chapters around the country....
  
  
• 1994 winner of Boston Magazine's "Best Newcomer to Boston Media"
• Gracie Award from the American Women in Media

Read more: http://www.thebostonchannel.com/station/282753/detail.html#ixzz1PxqeUvx3