On Wednesday, 23ABC announced that News Leader Veronica Placencia was being promoted to news director effective immediately.
Placencia served most recently as an interim leader of the newsroom, having joined 23ABC in 2019 as assistant news director. In this role, she launched the station’s equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) committee. The EDI is responsible for engaging employees around Scripps’ EDI initiatives within the newsroom.
Additionally, Placencia leads the station’s community board, which helps build a foundation of trust between the station and the communities it serves within Kern County.
“Veronica’s leadership and mentoring skills make her a great fit to lead our newsroom,” said Jim Doty, vice president and general manager at 23ABC. “She has done a terrific job of growing the newsroom and we can’t wait
to see where she takes us as our news leader.”
She has overseen several key election specials, town hall meetings and successfully navigated the newsroom through the pandemic and the protests in Bakersfield following the George Floyd killing.
Prior to joining 23ABC, the Texas native held roles as the news director at the NBC affiliate in El Paso, Texas, and assistant news director of the Univision station there.
In her free time, Placencia and her family enjoy traveling, trying new foods and listening to music.
“We love trying new cuisine – especially anything spicy – so during my spare time we enjoy searching for locally owned dining spots around Kern County,” she said. “We’re excited to be part of the Kern County and Central Valley area. My family is looking forward to immersing ourselves more in our community’s diverse culture, digging into the local cuisine and making new friends.”
