Patricia Gras is an ardent storyteller, whether it is using the medium of television, or music. She has a background of life experiences as diverse as the city she covers. Patricia speaks five languages, has visited over 50 countries, and holds three Masters degrees including a Masters in journalism from Columbia University in New York. She is also an Emmy Winning Award producer.
Patricia’s current award-winning show Living Smart with Patricia Gras has aired on over 200 PBS channels across the country. In 2008, she also began co-producing and co-hosting Latina Voices: Smart talk with Minerva Perez and Sofia Adrogue until September of 2011. This is a show unlike no other in the country with three Latina anchors covering current issues of the day.
In 2008, she began hosting and producing the award winning town hall forums “Houston Have your Say” on pertinent issues affecting the Harris County region.
Her television career began in 1988 when she worked as a reporter, producer, writer for the local newscast, the first in Spanish television in Houston on Telemundo ch. 48 KTMD.
In 1989, she began producing and hosting the award-winning Galveston La Isla Bonita show. The following year while getting her Masters at the Columbia School of Journalism in New York, she freelanced for the local Telemundo station and wrote for a community paper.
In 1990, she moved back to Houston Texas, where she began co-hosting the respected public affairs program, Almanac, a weekly prime time news and public affairs show on HoustonPBS, the first PBS station in the country. She also served as backup anchor for the statewide political show, Capitol Report.
In 1995, she became the lead reporter, producer and backup anchor of a prime time daily news magazine show, Weeknight Edition which evolved into Weekday and became one of Houston’s most celebrated television programs. While she worked for Weekday she earned multiple regional Emmy’s, Houston and Dallas Press Club award and several Tellys.
She has also covered a full spectrum of subjects for HoustonPBS including producing for the weekly public affairs magazine the connection, and hosting local specials like “And Thou Shalt Honor,” Hope and Help for Alzheimer’s in Houston, Facing the Mortgage Crisis and Mental Healthcare for Kids in Houston. Her national producing credits include Weight Loss Surgery, The Last Resort, a much-needed primer for anyone considering bariatric surgery; Taiwan: An Emerging Democracy, an exclusive interview with Taiwan’s Vice President, Anette Lu; Supersized America a national documentary series on the obesity epidemic and her own television series, Living Smart. Patricia’s international concerns have taken her twice to Romania to report on the orphaned children left in the aftermath of Nicolae Ceausescu’s dictatorship, to Taiwan to cover the economic and social impact of Taiwanese Americans in the United States, and to Vietnam to feature several American doctors returning 20 years after the war.
Patricia has interviewed notables such as formers President George Bush, and Jimmy Carter. Former secretary of State, James Baker and Madeleine Albright and international dignitaries such as Desmond Tutu, Carlos Menem, Princess Elizabeth of Yugoslavia, Nobel Peace Prize Winner Muhammad Yunus and Queen Anne of Romania.
Patricia Gras is the recipient of over one hundred and seventy journalism awards including six regional and Lone Star Emmy Awards and sixteen national Tellys. Her work has also been recognized with honors from American Women in Journalism, American Women in Radio and Television, Houston and Dallas Press Clubs, National Communicator and Videographer awards, Houston Area Women’s Center, Texas Mental Health Association, Texas Medical Association, Texas Public Health Association, American Cancer Society, American Heart Association, and the list goes on.
Patricia has also been inducted to “Who’s Who of American Women” and “Who’s Who in the Media.”
She is presently airing the eight season of the Emmy nominated and award winning Living Smart series that delivers breakthrough information for viewers interested in all aspects of personal growth and well being. At present, her Gras Productions company is in the process of post editing a Latin America project.
When Patricia isn’t in the editing suite, or attempting the climb to Machu Picchu, she can be found performing with her band “Barandua” a Latin folk-pop and flamenco band.
Are you satisfied with the content on my blog? What do you want to see?
Please let me know at patriciag039@gmail.com
Thanks,
Patti
