Jennifer Austin is one of few KARE 11 reporters who moved south to get here.
Before joining KARE 11 in February 2019, she spent six and a half years working at the NBC affiliate in Duluth.
She started her career at the station’s bureau in Hibbing, where she lived a few minutes away from Bob Dylan’s childhood home.
Jennifer is a native of the Twin Cities. She grew up in Champlin, where her parents still live, and graduated from St. Cloud State.
The car ride down Interstate 35 was a bit more crowded when Jennifer and her husband moved home. They welcomed their first child in December, right before heading to the Twin Cities.
When I was young, I wanted to be: Lots of things, but at one point – a librarian. I loved reading. For a career project in elementary school, I interviewed my local librarian. Little did I know, I’d grow up not to be the librarian, but the interviewer.
Describe your perfect day: I wake up to sunshine after a full, uninterrupted nine hours of sleep. I then pour myself a cup of coffee with French vanilla creamer and drink it while watching HGTV. After I get my Chip and Joanna fix, I head to a lake with my husband and daughter. I end the day by a bonfire, sipping a cold beer.
Favorite vacation spot: I love the North Shore. Lake Superior is beautiful and mesmerizing.
Favorite sport to play: Is clearance shopping a sport? Because I’m really good at it.
Favorite story you ever worked on: This is hard. I’ve had many “favorite” stories, but one that sticks out was about a chiropractor in Superior, Wisconsin who dressed up like Santa Claus every year. He drove around town in his convertible (top down in December!) handing out gifts to everyone he came across.
Why do you like your job: A mentor of mine once said this job gives you a “front row seat to the world.” I can’t sum it up better than that.
Family: My husband, Billy, and our daughter. My mom, dad, and sister all live in the metro, as do my husband’s family.
E-mail: jaustin@kare11.com
