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
DA charges man with murder in Oakland's 1st homicide of 2026
The Alameda County District Attorney’s Office has charged a man with murder in Oakland's first homicide of 2026.
Cowtastrophe! 2,000-lb. steer named Bob tumbles down steep ravine
So how does one rescue a 2,000-pound steer named Bob that tumbled down a ravine? Answer: very carefully.
Decimated San Francisco immigration court to close at end of year
The San Francisco immigration court building — where nearly two dozen judges have since been fired or retired – is set to close in January 2027.
California congressman has human rights concerns after visiting ICE facility
Bay Area Rep. Ro Khanna said a recent visit to the controversial California City ICE detention center revealed what he described as serious human rights concerns.
Inauspicious start to 2026: 5 killed in Oakland as new year rolls in
Three separate shootings occurred in Oakland over the course of four days killed five people. Police have yet to disclose much about the deaths, although in one of the cases, a suspect has been arrested.
Iconic San Francisco Alioto's Restaurant to be demolished
Crews began to demolish San Francisco's iconic Alioto’s Restaurant, a classic seafood eatery at Fisherman's Wharf, on Monday – the start of a process that will pave the way for a new plaza, slated to open this summer.
Hayward shoreline will be protected 'in perpetuity:' park district
The East Bay Regional Park District has acquired 77 acres of shoreline property from the Hayward Area Recreation and Park District in a long-term effort to restore marsh habitat, prepare for sea level rise, and secure permanent public access along the San Francisco Bay Trail at Hayward Regional Shoreline, officials announced on Tuesday.
Former FCI Dublin officer ordered to pay $120K legal fees
A former FCI Dublin correctional officer whose sex crime charges were dismissed after two mistrals has been ordered to pay some of his legal fees because a federal judge found him to have twice "misrepresented" his finances, court documents show.
Football player shot by San Jose police poised to be awarded $8M
A college football player shot four times by a San Jose police officer as he was wrestling a gun away from people inside a taqueria is poised to be awarded $8 million by the city – in what could be the second-largest police payout in city history.
Judge orders halt on ICE courthouse arrests in Northern California
A federal judge in San Jose has ordered a halt to ICE arrests at courthouses, arguing that immigrants are between a rock and a hard place: They face either getting arrested for trying to follow the law, or are not showing up to court and facing automatic deportation.