Jennifer Santiago

Jennifer Santiago is an attorney, freelance writer, photographer and Emmy Award-Winning reporter for HDNews. She began her career with WFOR-TV, the CBS affiliate in Miami. [ [http://cbs4.com/bios/local_bio_053140426 CBS4 News Team: Jennifer Santiago] ] . In 1997, she received her law degree, with honors, from Villanova University School of Law in Pennsylvania where she was also a member of The Villanova Law Review. Jennifer produced the independent feature film "Runnin' At Midnite", which was selected for several film festivals.

In 2007, Jennifer, a reported vegetarian, ["Jennifer Santiago:South Florida Reporter Putting Animal Rights in the Spotlight,"ARFF Newsletter, pg.3, Fall 2006.] received a Genesis Award from the Humane Society of the United States. The award was given in recognition of a series of reports including "Stopping the Seal Hunt"-- which also appeared on the CBS Evening News [http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/04/08/eveningnews/main1483006.shtml]

To mark his first 100 days in office, Florida Governor Charlie Crist gave Jennifer an exclusive interview in Tallahassee. Governor Crist noted the two were making "history" as the interview was the first he granted inside the Governor's mansion.

In February 2006, Congressman Kendrick Meek sent President George W. Bush a copy of Jennifer's report "Return to Haiti" urging the President to halt the deportations of Haitians because of an omission in the Haitian Refugee Immigration Fairness Act. [http://kendrickmeek.house.gov/press/2006.02.03.shtml] [ [http://kendrickmeek.house.gov/press/2006.02.03.shtml Congressman Kendrick P. Meek Press Release:"Meek Urges President Bush, Governor Bush to Support Legislation to Aid Haitian Immigrants." Feb. 3, 2006.] ] ."Return to Haiti" chronicled the story of an undocumented Haitian migrant who was sent back to Haiti after living in the United States for 15 years. He left behind three U.S. born children and a wife. "Return to Haiti" won numerous awards and recognition from prominent Haitian Advocates [ [http://blog.ijdh.org/haiti_justiceblog/2007/01/haiti_legislati_1.html Haiti Justice Blog:"Haiti Legislative Priority Part 2: Immigration Reform." March 1, 2007.] ] . like Congressman Meek and Haitian-American political activist Marleine Bastien. [http://www.fanm.org/about_us/marleine_bastien.html]

An archive of Jennifer's on-air work and articles/op-ed pieces can be found on www.jennifersantiago.com [http://www.jennifersantiago.com]

Bloggers have called Jennifer "the Angelina Jolie of news" because of her diverse resume and penchant for traveling to third-world countries solo for news stories. [ [http://johncairns.blogspot.com/search/label/TV%20News The Cairns Blog: "Yet More Lawyers in TV News(And Elsewhere)" March 13, 2007.] ]

Awards for Television Reporting

*"Emmy Winner" On Camera-Talent/Focus on South Florida 2007.
*"SFBJA Award" Reporting "A Sanctuary From Slavery" 2007.
*"HSUS Genesis Award" "Stopping the Seal Hunt" 2007.
*"Emmy Nominee" Historic/Cultural Reporting "Meet the Masai"; Public Affairs "Focus on South Florida" 2006.
*"Telly Award Winner" Reporting "Stopping the Seal Hunt" 2007.
*"Chuck Stone Award of Excellence" Reporting "A Sanctuary From Slavery" [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpLVGko5Xx8] 2007.
*"Emmy Winner" Reporting "Children for Sale"
*"Telly Award Winner" Reporting "Save the Elephants" 2006.
*"Telly Award Winner" Reporting "Return to Haiti" 2006.
*"SPJ Sunshine State Nominee" Investigative Reporting "A Painful Sentence" 2006.
*"SPJ Sunshine State Award" Investigative Reporting "Return to Haiti"2005.
*"SFBJA Award" Reporting "Return to Haiti" 2005.
*"HSUS Genesis Award Commendation" Reporting "Save the Elephants" 2005.
*"Emmy Nominee" Reporting "Death Row Debate" 2004.

Appearances in Playboy Special Editions

In 1998, Santiago (going by the name Jennifer Klarman) posed for pictorials that appeared in several "Playboy" special editions [ [http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA154552.html?display=Top+of+the+Week "Windy City Blowup", by Dan Trigoboff, Broadcasting & Cable, 9/3/2001] ] [ [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4155/is_20010829/ai_n13922021 "Ch. 2 bosses refuse to bare anchor plans", by Robert Feder, Chicago Sun-Times, Aug 29, 2001] ] [ [http://www.onthemedia.org/yore/transcripts/transcripts_090101_mike.html On The Media radio transcript, September 1, 2001] ] . In one of her pictorials, she posed alongside fellow Villanova Law School graduate and former Playboy playmate Victoria Zdrok [See Victoria Zdrok's listing of Playboy Special Edition Appearances] .

*"Playboy's Voluptuous Vixens II" November 1998.
*"Playboy's Nudes" December 1998 - pages 24-25 (with Victoria Zdrok)
*"Playboy's Body Language" 1998.
*"Playboy's Sexy Celebrities" 2002.

References