Derek is an award-winning journalist who joined the 27 News team as both a reporter and producer in June 2010. He now reports for the station's night side team and anchors once a week on WKOW's sister newscast, FOX 47 News at 9. 

This year, one of Derek's live breaking news reports was nominated for a Wisconsin Broadcasters Association award. He also won a national Hearst award in 2011 for his hard news reporting at the collegiate level.

Derek was born and raised in Los Angeles, and attended the University of Southern California. He graduated magna cum laude and was named the undergraduate broadcast journalism student of the year.

As online manager of USC's Annenberg TV News, Derek's work was honored with two LA Press Club awards, including "Best Website."

Before joining WKOW, Derek worked as an intern for Dateline NBC and KNBC-TV in Los Angeles.

In April 2011, Derek's first investigative report revealed a cost-saving measure by one state agency was preventing the prosecution of some sex offenders, including one who was trolling Facebook for young boys.

In his personal life, Derek remains an avid fan of LA sports teams and bleeds cardinal and gold, but don't be surprised if you see him wearing cardinal and white at a Badgers home game. . . or blue and gold at Miller Park.

Awards:

Undergraduate Broadcast Journalism Student of the Year

L.A. Press Club: “Best student news website or blog”

L.A. Press Club: “Best website with budget under 10k”

L.A. Press Club: “Best student news broadcast;” Associate producer

Edwin O. and JoAnn Guthman Endowed Scholarship

Glen and Alberta Ingles Endowed Scholarship

Executive Producer, producer, reporter, anchor, website manager, video journalist, graphics artist

Annenberg TV News was the highlight of my undergraduate education. Together with J-402 and J-403, ATVN gave me all the skills and hands on experience of a real newsroom.

ATVN didn’t prepare me for my first job, it WAS my first job. A lot of people have said that, but it’s really true.

ATVN taught me how to find and pitch stories. How to ask questions and knock on doors in the field. How to stack a show, handle breaking news, float a story last minute. How to write, shoot, edit, all under deadline pressure.