Leyna Nguyen

Leyna Nguyen (born December 13, 1969) is a Vietnamese-American television anchor and reporter in Los Angeles, California.

Nguyen is a three-time Emmy Award-winning journalist, who current anchors the nightly 4pm and 9pm newscasts on KCAL-TV in Los Angeles. She made broadcast history by becoming the first newscaster ever to anchor the news on two stations in the same market, with the unprecedented Viacom-owned duopoly of KCBS and KCAL-TV. She is one of the stations' most able and popular newswomen, and a highly requested speaker.

Before coming to the second largest television market in the nation, Leyna was a news anchor and reporter for NBC-affiliate KCRA-TV in Sacramento, California, where she also hosted a quarterly program on Asian-American issues. Before California, Leyna was in Augusta, Georgia anchoring the news on CBS-affiliate WRDW-TV.

She has also appeared in over 30 television shows and movies such as NCIS, Boston Legal, Austin Powers, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Leyna hosted the annual Jerry Lewis Labor Day Telethon with entertainer Casey Kasem, and the Southern California Special Olympics Summer games, with Hall of Famer James Worthy. She's also involved in the Vietnamese Entertainment industry. She also plays herself in numerous films and TV shows.

Leyna was born in Vietnam and came to the United States in 1975, settling in Minnesota. She earned a degree in Mass Communications from Webster University in St. Louis. While in St. Louis, Leyna was the "Morning Drive" personality for jazz radio station WEBU, and was a substitute teacher for grades K through 6.

In 1987, Leyna was crowned "Miss Asia," in 1996, she was named "YWCA Woman of the year," in 2000, she was designated one of the country's "25 Most Influential Vietnamese-Americans in 25 years," and in 2011, she was honored by the California State Legislature as Woman of the Year for her philanthropic work.

Aside from her professional accomplishments, Leyna is most proud of the work she does off-camera. Leyna has a non-profit foundation called LOVE ACROSS THE OCEAN, which benefits underprivileged school children in Vietnam and assists refugees in Southern California.

Her hobbies include martial arts, paragliding, music, and cooking.