WBTV 3 News, Weather, Sports, and Traffic for Charlotte, NCSarah Batista

Hometown: Charlotte, NC

Family: Son, Gregory. Sarah's family is spread out across the U.S. and Puerto Rico where her family is originally from.

Career: Sarah Batista joined WBTV in August of 2006. Sarah comes to Charlotte from Charlottesville, Virginia, where she reported for CBS19 and ABC16. She had the rare opportunity to help launch both television stations and learn from the ground up.
While in Charlottesville, Sarah interviewed numerous celebrities and politicians, and reported on corruption in the Albemarle County Police Department. Prior to working in Charlottesville, Sarah worked as a writer for NBC News Channel in Charlotte.
Sarah's position as a General Assignment Reporter for WBTV allows her to report on an array of stories related to crime, politics, trials, government and human interest. She also keeps a close eye on issues in the Latino community.

Education: Born in Chicago and raised in Charlotte, NC, Sarah is excited to be back home close to her family and friends. She graduated from South Mecklenburg High School before attending UNC Charlotte where she earned a bachelor's degree in Communications with a minor in Journalism.
She currently serves on the advisory board for UNC Charlotte's College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Sarah is also a board member for Communities in Schools, an organization that focuses on high school drop-out prevention.
Sarah is a member of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists.

Honors: In 2008, the National Association of Hispanic Journalists awarded Sarah the "Best Television Feature Large Market" award for her four-part "Beyond the Border" series on illegal immigration. Sarah traveled to Mexico and offered a rare glimpse into what's driving illegal immigration and its effects. She videotaped and produced the series herself.
In 2009, Sarah completed a one-week course on documentary filmmaking at the University of Chicago.

Hobbies: Sarah is thrilled to be back home. When Sarah's not bringing Charlotte its news, she enjoys reading, traveling, spending time with family and friends, shopping, watching musicals, volunteering and mentoring teenagers in the community.
She welcomes any story ideas or feedback. Feel free to email her at sbatista@wbtv.com. You can also receive her news updates through Facebook under Sarah Batista WBTV or on Twitter @sarahbatistaTV.