Melissa McDermott

(CBS)  Melissa McDermott was most recently the 6PM anchor and Investigative reporter at WJLA-TV, the ABC affiliate in Washington, DC. From 1986 to 1997, she was the 5PM, 6PM and 10PM weekday anchor and reporter at KSNW-TV, the NBC affiliate in Wichita, KS. Prior to that, Melissa was 6PM and 10PM weekday anchor at CBS affiliate KAYS-TV in Hays, KS.

Melissa is the recipient of many awards including a national and two regional Edward R. Murrow awards. She has also won the SPJ Dateline Award for "Outstanding News Coverage," 3 Heartland Emmy Awards, an Ohio State Award, a National AP Award and a National Iris Award. In June, Melissa won a 2000 Emmy Award for her Hard News report, "Children Who Rage," which aired on WJLA-TV in Washington, D.C.

Melissa has covered three presidential campaigns, was on the scene of the Oklahoma City bombing hours after it happened, and has anchored hours of continuous coverage of events such as the tornadoes that killed more than 17 people, and the "Summer of Mercy" abortion protests.

Melissa is a graduate of the University of Kansas and holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Broadcast News from the William Allen White School of Journalism.