San Diego Association of Black Journalists

Janell J. Lewis has been a producer at NBC 7/39 in San Diego since June 2008. She became secretary of SDABJ in 2009. Janell is a graduate of Winston-Salem State University, an historically black school in North Carolina, where she received her B.A. in Mass Communications with a minor in Spanish. Janell received her Master’s degree in journalism and public affairs at American University in Washington, D.C.

She began her career in college, writing, producing and reporting on WSNC 90.5, WSS 600/1200 and Ram News/TV. She was also editor-in-chief of WSSU’s newspaper, the News Argus. While at WSSU, Janell had the opportunity to interview Oprah, Maya Angelou and a host of political figures, media moguls and entertainers.

Once she was at American University, she practically lived on Capitol Hill and had the chance to interview then senator, Barack Obama. Janell worked at NBC 4 in Washington, D.C. and even got to work with the late Tim Russert.
Her first job out of graduate school was at WBTV News 3, a CBS affiliate in Charlotte, NC (market 25) as an associate producer.

Janell is a “Military Brat,” born in Stuttgart, Germany and has lived and several cities from coast to coast. Both of her parents were in the military and when her father retired, her family decided to settle down in Charlotte, NC– midway between her father’s home state of Texas and her mother’s home town of Pittsburgh. Janell is an avid Steelers fan and loves sports in general (especially football).
She loves to bowl, play softball and watch movies and reruns of sitcoms and shows like the Cosbys, Golden Girls and Law & Order.