Leyna Nguyen
Encyclopedia
Leyna Nguyen is a Vietnamese-American television
anchor and reporter from Los Angeles, California
.
, South Vietnam
. She grew up in Burnsville, Minnesota
, and graduated from Apple Valley High School
in Apple Valley, Minnesota
in 1988. Another notable graduate from the 1988 Senior class is actor and thespian Erik Jensen
.
Leyna earned a degree in Mass Communications from Webster University
in St. Louis and has anchored at KCAL-TV
in Los Angeles since December 1997. Nguyen anchors on KCAL 9 weeknights at 4pm and 9pm and previously worked for KCRA in Sacramento, California
and WRDW-TV
in Augusta, Georgia
. Leyna was once a substitute teacher. She has also co-hosted Vietnamese entertainment programs, like for Asia Entertainment, and appeared in several movies and television shows, like in the movie "Garfield
" (2004).
In 2008, Leyna Nguyen earned an Emmy Award
for hosting Heal The Bay, and has been nominated for an Emmy several times for her news stories on Vietnam, Heart Baby, and for best Feature Reporter. Leyna Nguyen hosts the Jerry Lewis Labor Day telethon
every year, as well as the Special Olympics
Summer Games.
Leyna Nguyen has made numerous appearances on television as a newsreader including Pushing Daisies
, Boston Legal
, Two and a Half Men
, Las Vegas
, Without a Trace
and many others.
In 1987, Leyna was crowned "Miss Asia," in 1996, she was named "YWCA Woman of the year," and in 2000, she was designated one of the country's "25 Most Influential Vietnamese-Americans in 25 years."
Leyna also has a non-profit foundation called Love Across The Ocean, which benefits underprivileged school children in Vietnam
. In 2011, she become 68th District of California Woman of the Year Honoree
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
anchor and reporter from Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
.
Biography
Leyna Nguyen was born in Dong HaDong Ha
Đông Hà is the capital town of Quang Tri province, Vietnam. It is located at around . Dong Ha is situated at the crossroads of National Highway 1A and Route 9, part of the East-West Economic Corridor . It lies on the Reunification Express Railway and is served by Dong Ha Railway Station...
, South Vietnam
South Vietnam
South Vietnam was a state which governed southern Vietnam until 1975. It received international recognition in 1950 as the "State of Vietnam" and later as the "Republic of Vietnam" . Its capital was Saigon...
. She grew up in Burnsville, Minnesota
Burnsville, Minnesota
Burnsville is a city south of downtown Minneapolis in Dakota County in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The city lies on the south bank of the Minnesota River, upstream from the confluence with the Mississippi River...
, and graduated from Apple Valley High School
Apple Valley High School (Minnesota)
Apple Valley High School, commonly referred to as AVHS, is a public four-year high school in Apple Valley, Minnesota. It is a part of Independent School District 196 . It is also affiliated with the Minnesota State High School League...
in Apple Valley, Minnesota
Apple Valley, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 45,527 people, 16,344 households, and 12,405 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,625.5 people per square mile . There were 16,536 housing units at an average density of 953.6 per square mile...
in 1988. Another notable graduate from the 1988 Senior class is actor and thespian Erik Jensen
Erik Jensen
-St. Louis Rams:Jensen was drafted by the St. Louis Rams in the seventh round of the 2004 NFL Draft.-External links:*...
.
Leyna earned a degree in Mass Communications from Webster University
Webster University
Webster University is an American non-profit private university with its main campus in Webster Groves, a suburb of St. Louis, Missouri. Webster University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and is a member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools...
in St. Louis and has anchored at KCAL-TV
KCAL-TV
KCAL-TV, channel 9, is an independent television station in Los Angeles, California, USA, owned by the CBS Corporation. KCAL-TV shares its studio facilities with KCBS-TV inside CBS Studio Center in the Studio City section of Los Angeles, and its transmitter is located atop Mount Wilson.-Digital...
in Los Angeles since December 1997. Nguyen anchors on KCAL 9 weeknights at 4pm and 9pm and previously worked for KCRA in Sacramento, California
Sacramento, California
Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...
and WRDW-TV
WRDW-TV
WRDW-TV, channel 12, is a CBS-affiliated television station located in Augusta, Georgia, USA. WRDW-TV is owned by Atlanta-based Gray Television, and also provides digital subchannels for MyNetworkTV on channel 12.2 and The Country Network on channel 12.3...
in Augusta, Georgia
Augusta, Georgia
Augusta is a consolidated city in the U.S. state of Georgia, located along the Savannah River. As of the 2010 census, the Augusta–Richmond County population was 195,844 not counting the unconsolidated cities of Hephzibah and Blythe.Augusta is the principal city of the Augusta-Richmond County...
. Leyna was once a substitute teacher. She has also co-hosted Vietnamese entertainment programs, like for Asia Entertainment, and appeared in several movies and television shows, like in the movie "Garfield
Garfield
Garfield is a comic strip created by Jim Davis. Published since June 19, 1978, it chronicles the life of the title character, the cat Garfield ; his owner, Jon Arbuckle; and Arbuckle's dog, Odie...
" (2004).
In 2008, Leyna Nguyen earned an Emmy Award
Emmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
for hosting Heal The Bay, and has been nominated for an Emmy several times for her news stories on Vietnam, Heart Baby, and for best Feature Reporter. Leyna Nguyen hosts the Jerry Lewis Labor Day telethon
Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon
The MDA Labor Day Telethon is an annual telethon in the United States to raise money for the Muscular Dystrophy Association . The first MDA telethon was during the Thanksgiving Day weekend of 1952 and titled Party for MDA. It has been held annually since 1966...
every year, as well as the Special Olympics
Special Olympics
Special Olympics is the world's largest sports organization for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, providing year-round training and competitions to more than 3.1 million athletes in 175 countries....
Summer Games.
Leyna Nguyen has made numerous appearances on television as a newsreader including Pushing Daisies
Pushing Daisies
Pushing Daisies is an American comedy-drama television series created by Bryan Fuller that aired on ABC from October 3, 2007 to June 13, 2009. The series stars Lee Pace as Ned, a pie-maker with the ability to bring dead things back to life with his touch, an ability that comes with stipulations...
, Boston Legal
Boston Legal
Boston Legal is an American legal dramedy created by David E. Kelley, which was produced in association with 20th Century Fox Television for the ABC...
, Two and a Half Men
Two and a Half Men
Two and a Half Men is an American television sitcom that premiered on CBS on September 22, 2003. Starring Charlie Sheen, Jon Cryer, and Angus T. Jones, the show was originally about a hedonistic jingle writer, Charlie Harper; his uptight brother, Alan; and Alan's growing son, Jake...
, Las Vegas
Las Vegas (TV series)
Las Vegas was an American television series broadcast by NBC from September 22, 2003 to February 15, 2008. The show focuses on a team of people working at the ficticional Montecito Resort & Casino dealing with issues that arise within the working environment, ranging from valet parking and...
, Without a Trace
Without a Trace
Without a Trace is an American television drama which originally ran on CBS from September 26, 2002 to May 19, 2009. The series was set in New York City and concerned a fictitious FBI Missing Persons Unit.-Premise:...
and many others.
In 1987, Leyna was crowned "Miss Asia," in 1996, she was named "YWCA Woman of the year," and in 2000, she was designated one of the country's "25 Most Influential Vietnamese-Americans in 25 years."
Leyna also has a non-profit foundation called Love Across The Ocean, which benefits underprivileged school children in Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
. In 2011, she become 68th District of California Woman of the Year Honoree