Lisa Fernandez
Lisa Fernandez is an old-fashioned newspaper reporter who works online in a TV station.
Lisa came to KTVU in 2017 and has worked in the Bay Area as a journalist for more than 30 years.
At KTVU, Lisa covers the sexual abuse scandal at the all-women's FCI Dublin prison, where she was chosen by the Society of Professional Journalists of Northern California in 2024 as the "Journalist of the Year," the in-custody deaths at Santa Rita Jail, and the federal oversight over the Oakland Police Department. She also covers breaking news, civil rights cases, immigration and education issues and actually loves doing a light feature.
Lisa truly believes that journalism can effect change, by letting the public know more about the world that they live in.
Lisa spent most of her career as a print reporter for the San Jose Mercury News, covering cops, city hall and religion. She's also worked at the LA Times, the San Francisco Chronicle, Reuters, NBC Bay Area, and the Democrat & Chronicle in Rochester, New York, where she is from.
She met her husband in 1995 when they were both young reporters at her first real journalism job: Bay City News in San Francisco.
Lisa loves to teach journalism and she has been an adjunct professor at San Jose State University. She has her master's degree in journalism from Medill at Northwestern University.
In her free time, Lisa volunteers with the Society of Professional Journalists at San Quentin Prison helping incarcerated men hone their writing and reporting skills, and she coaches high school seniors write their college essays.
She is also an exercise instructor, teaching spin, yoga, aqua and body sculpting classes.
Lisa lives in Oakland, Calif., with her husband. She has two adult children.
Have a story tip or idea for Lisa? Contact Lisa at lisa.fernandez@fox.com or (510) 874-0139.
The latest from Lisa Fernandez
Oakland mayoral race: Here's who qualified
Nearly 20 people originally signaled their desire to run for Oakland mayor on Nov. 3. Only four of them actually qualified.
Oakland hiring constitutional policing head as federal oversight nears end. What does this mean?
As Oakland nears the end of more than 20 years of federal oversight over its police department, the city is hiring for a brand-new position: constitutional policing administrator.
'We need our money': EDD applicants line up overnight at Oakland office as delays persist
Bay Area residents say the EDD's phone lines are "impossible" to get through to, and at the Oakland office, they face long lines of hundreds of people waiting to get help.
Alameda County to pay $12M over death of 8-year-old Sophia Mason
The Alameda County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday agreed to pay $12 million to the grandmother of an 8-year-old girl who died after years of abuse and neglect by her mother, despite several complaints made to the child welfare system, whose workers had determined she was safe.
Oakland Police Chief James Beere officially sworn in
City leaders and community members gathered at Oakland City Hall on Wednesday to swear in James Beere as Oakland's permanent police chief.
All but one charge now dismissed in high-profile Santa Rita jail death
All but one of the charges against Alameda County sheriff's deputies involved in a high-profile, in-custody death at Santa Rita Jail have now been dismissed, nearly closing a chapter on a case where 11 defendants were originally criminally charged.
A look at Alameda County's highest payouts and settlements
Alameda County has paid $267 million to settle lawsuits and award plaintiffs following jury verdicts since 2000, with the highest award – $36 million – paid out a few months ago, according to an analysis of data obtained through the county counsel's office and additional KTVU reporting.
Oakland mayor names new police chief James Beere
Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee on Thursday named interim chief James Beere as the city's new police chief. He is the 12th person to be named police chief or interim chief since 2013.
'Legendary' former Alameda County supervisor Scott Haggerty dies
Scott Haggerty, who one politician called a "legendary force in Bay Area politics for over two decades" as supervisor for Alameda County, died over the July 4 weekend in his retirement home state of Tennessee. He was 68.
San Pedro Square World Cup watch parties relocated for Sunday's matches
The city of San Jose and the mayor announced on Friday morning that they are relocating watch parties at the wildly popular San Pedro Square Market to two venues about a mile away.