Heather Brinkmann Meteorologist

While weather is my main focus, I have also taken classes that have prepared me to report as well. I have experience with News King and Avid Liquid. My experience at the Northern Television Center has taught me to write and put together news stories and packages within deadlines for our campus news. There, I was trained to be a “One-Man-Band” so that I could get the full experience of shooting, reporting, and editing by myself. This helped immensely, because I was able to learn quickly and use my talent towards my stories in an effective and timely manner. 

I have also held several internships in both small and large markets. With my two internships at WGN in Chicago with Tom Skilling and CLTV with Duffy Atkins, I have learned to graphically present climate data and prepare forecasts. There, I worked with WSI. My internship with Ty Shesky at WTVO/WQRF in Rockford, IL gave me the most hands on experience. I have been trained in AccuWeather, so I could fully prepare Mr. Shesky's forecasts. Also, I wrote weather forecasts for the station's newscast, website, and blog. At all three of my internships, I was able to practice in front of the green screen to get additional experience. I have also shadowed for the National Weather Service in Davenport, Iowa, Chanhassen, Minnesota and Romeoville, Illinois.

I have taken a particular interest in severe weather. While in school, I have taken Mesoscale Meteorology, Severe and Hazardous Weather, Natural Hazards and Environmental Risks, and two Thunderstorm Field Labs. I feel that while the classes have taught me how to forecast and handle severe weather, the Thunderstorm Field Labs gave me a greater hands-on experience. I now have an extensive understanding of thunderstorms and severe weather not only for forecasting, but also under pressure.

In my first job as a meteorologist, I was a private forecaster for Cherry Logistics Corporation. There, I forecasted for major companies across all of the United States. While at Cherry Logistics, I learned to not just forecast for my area but cities across the entire country. This gave me the ability to forecast for a wide area and also pinpoint forecasting as well.

After forecasting for Cherry Logistics, I moved on from the private meteorology sector and had the opportunity to be an on-air meteorologist at KCEN-TV in Waco, Texas. While at KCEN, I broadcasted mostly on the weekends, but also filled in for my chief meteorologist on several occasions. I was able to create my own forecasts for the Central Texas region and display them in a way that people could understand.