Christien Kafton
Christien has been reporting for KTVU since 2009. In his time at KTVU, he has worked every shift, from 4:30am working for "Mornings on 2" to the "Ten O'Clock News."
In his time at the station he has reported on hard-hitting stories including his Emmy-nominated reporting on the morning of the deadly Ghost Ship fire, and the Tubbs fire. Christien has also covered lighter human interest stories including the iconic Bay to Breakers, numerous San Francisco Giants and Golden State Warriors Championships.
Christien is a Bay Area native who grew up watching KTVU Channel 2 News when legendary anchor Dennis Richmond was on the anchor desk. Christien was born in Oakland and raised in Berkeley. He attended Maybeck High School, and UC Berkeley before leaving the state for graduate school at Northwestern University. His first reporting job took him to Plattsburgh, NY, from here he moved on to Toledo, OH and Phoenix AZ before returning to the Bay Area; first working at NBC Bay Area before joining the Channel 2 News team.
Christien currently heads up KTVU's San Francisco bureau covering stories from City Hall to Chase Center. When he's not working you're likely to find him riding his bike through Golden Gate Park with his family or on the baseball diamond, trying to keep up with his son.
The latest from Christien Kafton
SF drivers brace for 19th Avenue closure as weekend construction project approaches
Last week it was I-80 along the east side of San Francisco that was shut down. Now drivers are preparing for major roadwork on one of the busiest streets on the west side of the city.
San Francisco honors ‘Grandpa Vicha’ with resolution focused on elder safety
San Francisco leaders on Tuesday honored Vicha Ratanapakdee, the elderly man known as “Grandpa Vicha,” who died after being shoved to the ground, with a resolution aimed at strengthening protections for seniors.
Healing spaces: Hospital rooms transformed for families at Sutter CPMC once upon a room
Some families at Sutter’s CPMC hospital in San Francisco experienced a welcome change of scenery Thursday, as ordinary hospital rooms were transformed into colorful, personalized spaces designed to lift spirits.
Man accused of Molotov cocktail attack on Sam Altman held as defense cites mental health crisis
The man accused of attempting to kill OpenAI CEO Sam Altman by throwing a Molotov cocktail at his San Francisco home was experiencing a mental health crisis and has been overcharged, his public defender said.
Suspect in Molotov cocktail attack on Sam Altman's home was in 'mental health crisis': attorney
The attorney for the man accused of throwing a Molotov cocktail at OpenAI Sam Altman's San Francisco home earlier this week says his client was experiencing a mental health crisis at the time of the alleged firebombing.
Father and son biking to all MLB parks for St. Jude stop at Giants game
A father and son are traveling more than 9,000 miles across the country by bicycle on a mission to visit all 30 Major League Baseball stadiums, all while raising money for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Homeless advocates note massive decrease in San Francisco shelters despite need
Advocates for the unhoused in San Francisco are worried about a round of closures of long-term shelters in the city's Tenderloin District. The city says they are working to put long-term fixes in place.
76-year-old driver jumps sidewalk in SF's Chinatown, hitting pedestrians; 1 killed
A 76-year-old driver, who was trying to park his car, instead jumped the sidewalk in San Francisco Friday morning, striking a building and two pedestrians, killing one of them, according to the police and fire departments.
Man convicted in death of San Francisco's 'Grandpa Vicha' sentenced, will soon be released
Watson was convicted by a jury in January of killing 84-year-old Vicha Ratanapakdee, often called by his nickname, in 2021.
SF Giants home opener one day away; fans and businesses alike get ready
It's that time of year for Major League Baseball's home openers. For the SF Giants, the game is Wednesday night. Anticipation is building and nearby businesses are ready to make bank.