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
Judge ends federal oversight over Oakland PD after 23 years, longest in US history
A federal judge on Tuesday ended court oversight over the Oakland Police Department, thus closing out a chapter on the longest oversight in U.S. history.
Will OPD oversight last one more year? Judge to decide
Federal oversight over the Oakland Police Department could end on Tuesday afternoon, or, it possibly could last one more year.
New York Times games engineer killed by in-laws in Dublin: police
The 40-year-old man killed near a Dublin park, allegedly by his in-laws – who witnesses said took turns shooting at him – was a New York Times games engineer who had previously been charged with child abuse.
California lawmaker rips into Cal-OSHA after inaction, deaths of 3 San Leandro workers
A California lawmaker didn't mince words this week when she verbally ripped into the state agency charged with overseeing workplace safety.
Alameda County judge pleads for $3M to continue helping out-of-custody defendants
Alameda County Superior Court's presiding judge is pleading with the board of supervisors to continue supporting what he describes as a successful pilot program that supports out-of-custody defendants awaiting trial – a program that the county's chief probation officer now wants to take over.
Lionel Richie undergoes heart procedure; concert with Earth, Wind & Fire at Chase Center postponed again
Lionel Richie, 77, recently underwent a heart procedure and his upcoming concert with Earth, Wind & Fire on Saturday at Chase Center is postponed indefinitely — again.
Prison officer charged with sex crimes while he was at FCI Dublin
The Department of Justice has charged an 11th correctional officer who worked at the now-closed FCI Dublin women's prison with sex crimes, roughly two years after the facility closed and was left vacant.
BOP acknowledges 7.5K people want to demolish FCI Dublin prison
Roughly 7,500 wrote to the Bureau of Prisons to say they do not want the former FCI Dublin women's prison to be used for immigration detention or incarceration of any kind.
Lines at EDD office in Oakland still long, despite agency claims of 'resolved' issues
Long lines persist at the Oakland EDD office on Oakport Street despite the agency saying many issues have been resolved.
Alameda County Fair more profitable without horse racing — why some still want it back
When horse racing left the Alameda County Fair two years ago, some worried that revenues might suffer. Instead, profits jumped — more than doubling, from $2 million to nearly $5 million.