Anchor Jeff Gianola started his news career while still a teenager growing up in San Diego.
While attending San Diego State, he worked as a news intern at KGTV. The station eventually hired him full time. He worked his way up from a grip hauling news equipment, to assignment editor, news writer and producer, and worked with some of the legends in local television news.
In 1980, he took a cut in pay to become a news reporter at KEYT in Santa Barbara. While there, he was an award-winning reporter and part of the local press corps covering President Reagan at the ranch.
In 1983, he was hired by KATU in Portland as a reporter and weekend weathercaster. In 1985, Jeff was promoted to main anchor for KATU. He also hosted Town Hall for six years. After 15 years at KATU, Jeff was hired by KOIN News 6 in 1998.
Jeff has a long standing commitment to Oregon Foster Children. For the last more than two decades he has featured his Wednesday’s Children on the news. Hundreds of children have been adopted as a result of the program. Jeff and his wife Shannon also started the Wednesday Child Foundation, which provides life-enriching opportunities for hundreds of foster children each year.
Jeff lives in Tigard with his wife, Shannon, and their three children, Jake, Michael and Eliana. He also has two daughters, Alex and Anna, both college graduates. “I’m on the no-retirement plan, I love it,” says Jeff.