About Ana
From the high wire to wake boarding, Ana Belaval will try most anything once as the “Around Town” reporter for Chicago’s top-rated WGN Morning News. A four-time Emmy Award winner and Puerto Rico native, Ana previews notable attractions, people, activities and uncovers some of Chicago’s best-kept secrets with a dose of improv in her signature funny and fluent style.
There is nothing Ana loves more than to make people laugh. She has found the humor in navigating a bilingual and bicultural life and out of that, a love for stand-up comedy was born. You can often see her performing in Chicago with the Mikey O Comedy Show “Girl, let me tell you” , “La Sala”, and “Las Boricuas of Comedy”. From hosting a Ted X Talk to emceeing charity events, Ana enjoys making audiences of all kinds laugh and realize that sometimes your Plan B is the ticket to living the American Dream.
For Ana that meant embracing her Puerto Rican heritage to burst onto the English broadcast market scene. Upon graduating from The American University in Washington, D.C., her native language became her asset as a general assignment reporter and weekend anchor for Univision’s Chicago affiliate. She worked her way up to a New York-based network correspondent and substitute host for Univision’s national morning show, “Despierta America”.
In 2005 Ana joined WGN – one of few Spanish reporters to cross over to the English broadcast market. In addition to Around Town, Ana has also worked as a substitute anchor for the Morning and Midday News as well as WGN Radio 720. A four-time Emmy award winner and six-time Emmy nominee, she received awards for her “Living Green” and “One Tank Trips” series, the community affairs show “Adelante Chicago,” and her coverage of the aftermath of Hurricane Maria in her beloved Puerto Rico – an honor for which she is most proud. She was also a finalist for the Peter Lisagor award for the special story, “anabelaval.com.” Ana has also served as the host of Chicago Stand Up Project on WTTW – a documentary-style show featuring two well-known Chicagoans who try their hand at stand-up comedy.
Off camera and off-stage, Ana enjoys spending time with her family including her husband, Steve, daughter Amelia, son Alexander and frequent Skype sessions with her parents in Puerto Rico.
