Makenzie O'Keefe

If you ask Makenzie O'Keefe, there is no better place to live than the beautiful state of Colorado! She was born and raised here and is proud to be Covering Colorado First.

Makenzie is an Emmy-nominated reporter and anchor for CBS News Colorado. You can find her every morning in-studio, anchoring topical news segments and breaking First Alert Traffic updates on CBS Colorado Mornings.

She joined CBS News Colorado in September of 2017 as a multi-media journalist. In that morning position she worked hard on and off-camera as she shot, wrote and edited all her own work. In 2019, Makenzie moved to a daytime shift working as a one-woman-band for CBS News Colorado's evening newscasts.

Makenzie O'Keefe on Twitter | on Facebook

Her favorite part of the job is having the opportunity to meet new people every day, and share their stories.

Makenzie grew up in Golden and went to Wheat Ridge High School. She later attended Colorado State University in Fort Collins. Her senior year she interned at CBS News Colorado, and that's when she truly fell in love with the industry.

Before working in Denver, Makenzie was a reporter and weekend anchor for joint-television stations KKCO and KJCT in Grand Junction. While on the Western Slope, she covered a variety of stories including President Donald Trump's campaign visit, a national high-profile murder trial and the shooting death of a local sheriff's deputy. Her storytelling of that tragedy led to a Feature of the Year award in 2016 by the Colorado Broadcaster's Association. She was also named Reporter of the Year in 2015 by the Mesa County Communications Officer Association.

RELATED: See The Whole CBS News Colorado Team

When Makenzie is not working, she loves to explore the great outdoors — whether it's hiking, fly fishing, snowboarding, or even dirt biking. She loves to immerse herself in the community and get to know the ins and outs of Denver.

Just The Facts

• Position: Anchor and reporter
• Year hired: 2017
• Alma Mater: CSU. Go Rams!
• Why I am journalist: I love getting to meet wonderful people every day, and learn about their lives. Everyone has a unique story of their own, and it's an honor to share how things happening in our community, impact their lives.
• Role model: My parents! I wouldn't be who I am today without them.
• Dream job: Honestly, I'm living it!
• Job you would never attempt: Anything to do with math. Or IT.
• Star sign: Leo
• First TV appearance: September 2014 in Grand Junction.
• Hidden talent: I think I am the number one consumer of Diet Dr. Pepper in the entire world. Also, I was a ballerina for years!
• Hometown: The beautiful town of Golden!
• Hobbies: Anything outdoors! Hiking, camping, fishing, snowboarding ... you name it!
• Favorite food: Pizza, pasta, really anything. I love trying different restaurants.
• Number of siblings: One little brother, Garrett, who is also my best friend.
• Number of pets: One very chubby (but adorable!) chocolate lab named Gage ... and a golden retriever named Oakley!
• Favorite sports team: CSU Rams, Denver Broncos, Colorado Rockies
• Favorite author: I'm a huge bookworm! I love all authors but my favorite is probably Gillian Flynn.
• Favorite vacation spot: Steamboat Springs
• What one word best describes CBS News Colorado: Genuine
• Least favorite household chore: Oh, definitely folding laundry!
• Favorite word: Happy
• Least favorite word: Can't
• Favorite noise: Hearing people genuinely laugh. Or rain falling. Both make me very happy!
• Least favorite noise: My alarm clock! I hit snooze too many times.
• What kind of music do you like? Country is my all-time favorite.
• What keeps you in Colorado? My family, the beautiful views and endless outdoor activities.

Send an email to Makenzie O'Keefe by selecting her name from the pulldown menu below: