Mariel Ruiz
Mariel Ruiz, the trilingual Texan who joined KTHV as a meteorologist a year and a half ago, calls herself a “morning person,” and, in her new job, that’s a necessity.
Ruiz is joining Laura Monteverdi, Rob Evans and Amanda Jaeger as a co-host on “THV11 This Morning,” station General Manager Michael Caplan announced Wednesday. She is the permanent replacement for longtime morning favorite Tom Brannon, who left TV news in September to work for another former Little Rock weatherman, Ron Sherman, at Ron Sherman Advertising.
“It’s officially official,” Ruiz posted Wednesday on Twitter. “Excited for this new beginning.”
A north Texas native and graduate of Texas A&M University, Ruiz has appeared on various newscasts, including weekend evening shows and more frequently and recently on “THV This Morning,” which airs from 4:30 to 7 a.m., when it gives way to “CBS This Morning” until 9.
“I know Mariel’s excited to help Arkansans get their day started with an accurate and interesting weather forecast,” Caplan said in a news release. “She’s a great fit with our morning team, and we expect Mariel’s commitment to community and weather to make a big impact.”
Ruiz is fluent in Spanish, speaks Spanish and is proud of her accreditation as a certified broadcast meteorologist by the American Meteorological Society. She is also passionate about science and STEM learning, hosting the Museum of Discovery’s “Girls in STEM” on Channel 11. She is an avid presence on social media, often using it to convey weather information to Hispanic followers.
“I’m a morning person and I love the dynamic of the morning crew,” she said in the news release, describing her colleagues’ energy as contagious.
The news, weather and traffic program has been on the air for more than two decades.
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