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Michelle Gallardo

Michelle Gallardo is an Emmy-nominated general assignment reporter for ABC7 Chicago. She joined Chicago's No. 1 news station in May 2004.

Before coming to ABC 7, Gallardo worked with WGBO, Chicago's top-rated Spanish language station. There she spent three years as a weekday general assignment reporter, weekend weathercaster, and fill in anchor. She also hosted the community affairs program Primera Plana. Gallardo is the second of three reporters to transition from Spanish language television to general market television.

Gallardo has 12 years of producing and reporting experience that includes local, national, and international news. She worked as a freelance producer with CNN International and CNN en Espaņol in CNN's Mexico City bureau. There, she covered the historic 2000 Mexican presidential elections where the country's ruling party lost power for the first time in more than 70 years.

Gallardo has also produced a host of documentaries. In 2007 she developed and produced an episode of the History Channel's Gangland series about how gangs operate in the Chicago public housing units.

In 2004, on assignment for the Weather Channel and National Geographic, she traveled to Thailand and Sri Lanka to cover the Tsunami's aftermath. The resulting documentaries for Storm Series garnered "Best Documentary" honors at the 2005 Telly Awards. Also in 2005, Gallardo traveled to Africa where she produced a documentary on the kidnapping of children in Northern Uganda for use as child soldiers and sex slaves.

From 1998-2000, Gallardo had an exciting assignment as an entertainment reporter for Television Azteca in Mexico City, where she traveled frequently interviewing many of today's top celebrities.

Prior to working in Mexico City, Gallardo gained experience as a Washington correspondent for WMAQ radio, where she worked through the Medill News Service. She began her television career as a production assistant for GMTV in London. When she returned to the United States, she landed in Washington DC, where she worked as an associate producer and field producer for Hearst-Argyle TV and Conus Communications.

Born in Mexico City, Gallardo is a dual citizen of the United States and Mexico and is bilingual. While growing up, she spent time in both Mexico City and New York. She received her undergraduate degree in international relations from the prestigious Universidad de las Americas in Puebla, Mexico in 1995. She also holds a Master's Degree in Broadcast Journalism from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism.

Gallardo currently lives in downtown Chicago. She enjoys training for triathlons, scuba diving, skiing, skydiving, theater, film, art, reading, and travel.

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