Rachel Calderon is an award-winning journalist with more than a decade of experience. She joined the station in December 2013 and reports for News 9 in the Morning. She previously served as Traffic Anchor of KOCO Eyewitness News 5 in the Morning where she woke up viewers with her energetic traffic and breaking news reports. In 2012, the Oklahoma chapter of the Leukemia Lymphoma Society honored her for her series of reports on local patients with blood cancer. The award was given just after she ran the OKC Half Marathon in honor of her mother who is living with multiple myeloma.

Before moving to Oklahoma City in 2011, Rachel lived in Los Angeles and served as reporter for the KTLA Morning News. There she covered a variety of breaking news including earthquakes, wildfires, entertainment and security for the Academy Awards.  In 2008 the show won an Emmy for Best Morning Newscast.

Rachel began her broadcasting career in Cheyenne, Wyoming as the morning anchor of KGWN. In 2001, she returned to her native state of Michigan to serve as weekend anchor/reporter at WILX in Lansing, and at WXMI in Grand Rapids.  Some of her most memorable stories she covered in Michigan were the funerals of civil rights icon Rosa Parks and President Gerald Ford.  She also worked as a field producer for NBC Sports in Athens, Greece during the 2004 Olympic Games.

Of all the stories and events she's covered, she feels the most rewarding ones are when she and viewers have learned something new. "Television is such a powerful medium. I hope my stories give information and sparks inspiration. I want viewers to see different perspective about something, or they're inspired to make a change where they see the need."

Rachel grew up in St. Clair, Michigan. She's a proud graduate of the University of Southern California and an active member of the Asian American Journalists Association. When time allows she can be found planning her family's next vacation, or searching for a healthier version of her favorite comfort food.  She lives in the Oklahoma City metro area with her husband, Justin. They have a son, Tyson and a daughter, Vivienne.

Reporter

My experience at ATVN was probably the best preparation for the news business. At ATVN, you had deadlines, you had to write well and write fast—which is exactly what they’ll want to see from you in a small market. Look at your time in that newsroom as a better experience than any internship in LA. Unless you intern in a small market where you are allowed to touch camera equipment, shoot stand-ups, and write and edit stories, ATVN is the closest you will get to