MEMPHIS, Tennessee — Local 24 News is happy to announce that Denisha Thomas is returning to her hometown of Memphis as the station’s news director.
Thomas, whose first day with the station will be October 13, is joining WATN from WKYC, TEGNA’s NBC affiliate in Cleveland, Ohio, where she has been executive producer since 2019. She was also news content producer for WKYC from 2015-2017, before being named executive producer at WGRZ, TEGNA’s NBC affiliate in Buffalo, New York.
Thomas participated in TEGNA’s Leadership Development program in 2019, and in August she was one of 32 journalists nationwide selected for the Poynter Institute and Washington Post’s Leadership Academy for Diversity in Digital Media. Prior to joining TEGNA, Thomas worked as a news producer at television stations in Memphis, Jonesboro, Arkansas and Columbia, Missouri.
“Denisha is a dynamic, talented leader and a proven innovator in local news across all platforms,” said WATN president and general manager Rick Rogala. “Her passion for great journalism and deep Memphis roots will serve her well as we continue building a strong, vibrant news culture, and we are excited she has decided to join the WATN team.”
Thomas holds a Bachelor of Journalism degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia. She is an active member of the National Association of Black Journalists and the University of Missouri Griffiths Leadership Society.
