Do you have siblings? 

An older sister who lives in a NYC suburb and a younger brother who lives outside Boston. They're each married with two kids. 

When did you first realize that you wanted to be in television news?

I went to a small liberal arts college in upstate NY and majored in French Literature. I worked in sales for a couple years after graduating but then went to a journalism school in CT and knew I wanted to be a TV anchor. 

Who has inspired you in your career? Who has inspired you as a person?

 

Ross McGowan was influential both in getting me here to KTVU and also how to conduct myself as a professional. And I owe a huge debt to the three people who decided to hire me back in 1996; executive producer Rosemarie Thomas, news director Fred Zehnder, and general manager Kevin O'Brien. As far as inspiring me as a person, I'd have to say both my parents and my husband, for their integrity and unconditional support.

Before KTVU, where did you work? 

My first full-time gig was at WREF, a tiny radio station that had a rubber band to close the newsroom door. But it was in my home-town of Ridgefield CT so I knew if someone crashed into the fountain at the junction of Rte 7 and 35, that was my lead story. Then I moved up to morning producer and mid-day anchor at WNLK radio in Norwalk CT. When I moved to CA in 1989 I got the role of news director /news anchor at KKIQ in Livermore thanks to program director Jim Hampton. After the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, I talked my way into doing some reporting for KGO radio. Eventually I became the Contra Costa reporter and a weekend anchor, and worked there until 1996 when I started at KTVU.

As a television journalist, every day at work is different from the one before it. Can you describe a "day in the life of Tori Campbell"?

I get up at 4am, and arrive at the station a little after 5am. I review the run-down, write some teases, look for new stories or updated angles to existing stories, do my hair and makeup and try to pre-read at least the first half hour of the newscast before I run into the studio at 6:56. I'm on the air from 7-9am. I get a short break and then work on the Noon News. At 12:30 I'm done and head home or wherever I need to go for the afternoon.  

You've worked at KTVU for nearly two decades. Do you think you've changed, as a person as well as a journalist, since you first began at the station back in 1996?

I'm sure it'd be impossible to work at one place for 18 years and not have been changed in some way. I'm still very proud to say I work at this first-class station and I do my very best every day to offer news to our viewers in a way that lives up to those high standards. However I have tried hard not to get too closely linked to that identity as a "TV anchor." I prefer to tell people I'm a working mom who happens to have a somewhat public job. And I taught my kids that this position does not make me better than anyone else, and it doesn't make my kids better than anyone else. 

Do you like ice cream? Okay, that's a ridiculous question. No one has said that they don't. What's your favorite flavor?

Actually since I've changed my eating habits over 4 years ago, I don't really eat ice cream. I do occasionally make my own chocolate milkshake with frozen bananas, almond milk and cocoa powder. It's delicious without all the guilt. 

Tell us about your home life. How do you spend your weekends? Do you have any hobbies?

Since becoming an empty-nester this past fall, I've really focused on health and fitness. I try to work out every day, either at the gym, or walking with friends. I also consider healthy cooking to be my new favorite hobby. I'll make 3-4 new whole-food plant-based dishes every week. I've also been very involved in my church where I've been a member for 25 years and just finished a 3-year stint on the vestry, which is the board of directors.

• You are now a certified nutritionist. How did this come about?

• Four and a half years ago, I wasn't in the best shape and was really frustrated. I read an article about a book called "Eat to Live" by Dr. Joel Fuhrman. It made so much sense to me. It was the first time I learned not just what to eat, but why. So I read everything I could get my hands on, on this topic. And eventually I decided I wanted more than just being well-read on nutrition; I wanted some more formal education. I found a very thorough 2-year online program that I finished last summer and am now a Certified Nutrition Consultant.

• You make your own dishes at home. What do you like to make the most?

• The one thing I make and use the most is my own salad dressing. Salads are fabulous but if you drown all those healthy vegetables in a fat-laden or even a low-fat dressing that's full of unhealthy additives and artificial sweeteners, you're kind of missing the point.

It's a super easy dressing to make that I call 3-2-1 dressing that comes from Rip Esselstyn's Engine 2 Cookbook;

3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

2 Tbsp Dijon mustard

1 Tbsp organic maple syrup.

Mix in 3 Tbsp water and voila! 3-4 servings of healthy tasty and easy salad dressing.

I have a green smoothie every workday morning and I love making soups, grain salads, stews, stir-fry's, casseroles, muffins, and occasionally a chocolate dessert. 

What charitable organizations are nearest to your heart?

I've been very involved with my church for the last 25 years; it's like my second family. One of my roles there was running the Outreach committee which supported over a dozen non-profit charities that are both local and international. I've also emceed a lot of fundraising events for organizations that I believe are doing amazing work, including Wardrobe for Opportunity , Goodwill Industries and Bay Area Crisis Nursery 

Perfect meal for dinner?

Obviously, a home-prepared meal is ideal. My current favorite is a plant-based mushroom lasagna, a green salad and a fruit sorbet.

Have a guilty pleasure?

What do you do to relax?

I've been able to spend more time reading lately and I especially enjoy historical fiction. I'm reading "Beautiful Ruins" by Jess Walter right now. And I loved "A Still Life with Bread Crumbs" by Anna Quindlen. 

What do you like most about working at Channel 2?

It sounds clich�, but it's the people. We have a great team in the morning; from my co-anchors to the reporters, writers, producers, editors and the folks in the control room. We all have the same goal; to put the best newscast on the air every morning. And everyone brings some different skills and perspectives to the table. I have always liked working with bright intelligent people. You can't work in this market, in this industry without having at least some smarts. And having been here 18 years now I have a deep respect and knowledge of the history of the station and still feel it's a privilege to be part of this station. 

Who is your favorite television journalist? 

I admire Barbara Walters for her ground-breaking work as a female broadcast journalist and her talent as an outstanding interviewer. I have gotten to meet both Tom Brokaw and Dan Rather at the Lesher Center's speaker series which was a great honor and loved hearing their stories of making it to the top. I even crossed paths briefly with Peter Jennings in the lobby of KGO when Mikhail Gorbachev was in San Francisco so I feel I hit the trifecta of the network anchor giants.

What's your favorite TV show? Go to the movies lately? 

I've gotten hooked on Downton Abbey and watch every episode. I'm only sorry it's only on a couple months each year. I've also been watching "House of Cards" after watching the British version a couple years ago. We go to the movies periodically; but I'm kind of a chicken and don't like excessive violent films. I enjoyed "Philomena" and "Blue Jasmine" this past year. 

Personality-wise, are you more of a goof than you are serious?!

I guess a little bit of both, depending on the circumstances. 

If you could do it all over again, is there anything you would change about your life?

Nope.. not a thing.

Favorite music? What's in your iPod (if you have one) or collection of CDs?

I've been using Pandora, and the best music comes from the 60s 70's and 80's series. I usually listen to Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, the Beatles and U2 at the gym. But at home I'm listening more to jazz and classical music to relax and unwind a little.