SAN ANTONIO – You may recognize Stephanie Serna from her years at KSAT as a reporter and weekend anchor but now you’ll get to see her bright and early on weekday mornings on Good Morning San Antonio.
Our super talented Stephanie will be co-anchoring GMSA and GMSA @ 9 with Mark Austin, and she’s shedding a little light on her life by answering some questions so you can get to know her a little better.
How long have you been at KSAT (when did you start) and what were you hired as?
I started my career at KSAT in November of 2009 and was hired as a “freelance reporter” at the time. I was working two days a week at KSAT and five days a week at KEYE in Austin. It was crazy because I would wake up in the morning and forget which city I was in! In the spring of 2010, I started working at KSAT five days a week and in January of 2011, I officially joined the team as a general assignments reporter.
What’s been one of your favorite stories to cover during your KSAT career?
This one is tough. There have been so many. I can tell you that when I first started reporting, my favorite type of news was breaking news. However, after working here for some time, I really started to enjoy the stories that would shine a spotlight on our viewers. There was one I did recently about a third-grader who was sewing masks for health care workers and his neighbors! He wasn’t trying to make money. He was just trying to help people. It’s really cool when we can get these stories out.
What time are you going to be setting your alarm for in the mornings?
My first alarm will be set at 2:30 a.m. Then there will be a “backup” of 2:35 a.m., 2:40 a.m., 2:45 a.m. and the absolute last CHANCE 2:50 a.m.! I’m usually up by the first or second alarm!
What do you typically eat for breakfast?
Instant oatmeal.
How do you like to spend your time away from the station?
I love to go on bike rides with my daughter and my husband. I also love to run!
When is your birthday?
It’s on April 1st! April Fools’ Day!
What are your hobbies?
I like to run. As of right now, I have completed 9 marathons. My goal is to complete “Number 10!” I also love listening to music! (While I’m running, at home and in the car.) And, I love spending time with my family. During this pandemic, we have taken a lot of car rides around town, listening to music.
What’s your most embarrassing on-air moment?
Oh my goodness. I was reporting and I was “live” trying to present a serious story and this giant fly kept flying around me and it would not go away! It was awful and probably the biggest fly I have ever seen!
What would be your dream job if you weren’t anchoring GMSA?
Lol! My dream job would be “to be a professional athlete.” Maybe for the Spurs? Or maybe for the U.S. Women’s soccer team? This is obviously a DREAM.
What will you miss about your weekend crew?
Max and Sarah are awesome people. I think we grew together and we learned a lot from each other. We are also friends! I will miss laughing with them during commercial breaks and talking to them every weekend, but I know I will still see them. We will still be close.
If you could have one snack food for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Oh my goodness! Popcorn for sure! And, sometimes popcorn with jalapeños.