Hometown: Minnetonka, Minn. (Just west of the Twin Cities)

High School: Minnetonka High School

College: University of Wisconsin-Madison, BS Atmospheric Science and BS Spanish

Other Journalism Experience: Meteorologist for WFXS-TV and WAOW-TV in Wausau, Wis, Meteorologist for Great Lakes Weather Service, and college intern at another TV station in Madison

Started at Channel 3 on: Oct. 6, 2003

Q: What is your favorite part about living in Madison?
A: I like that there are always fun events going on here. We are lucky to be able experience city life and country life just by traveling a few minutes. I’m also a big fan of the weather and the change of seasons we have in southern Wisconsin…they make it so that my job never gets dull!

Q: What is the biggest news story that you've covered?
A: The Stoughton tornado. It occurred the day I returned from my honeymoon in Hawaii. Gary Cannalte and I covered it together, and it was unlike any other severe weather outbreak I have covered.

Q: What do you like to do in your spare time?
A: I like to relax, spend time with family and friends, camp, read, cook, garden, and do anything that allows me to be outside enjoying the elements.

Q: What is your family life like? Significant other, married, children?
A: I am married and will have a new baby arriving in the late summer of 2009

Q: What is your favorite kind of ice cream?
A: Plain old vanilla.

Q: What is your favorite place to vacation?
A: Anywhere that’s relaxing or adventurous or that I can experience new and different cultures.

Q: Who is your hero and why?
A: My parents and my grandparents

Q: What is your favorite sport to play or watch?
A: I was on the Varsity Women’s Lightweight Rowing team at the UW in college, so I enjoy watching crew races. I also am a former figure skater and still love to keep up with the skating world.

Q: If you could possess one superhuman power, what would it be?
A: Teleportation

Q: What is your most memorable travel experience?
A: My favorite travel experiences involve adventure and experiencing new places. One Summer, my sister and I did a rustic trip through the Yucatan. We only brought a small backpack and we stayed in hostels along the way. Mexican hostels were a new experience…choosing between rooms with a mattress or a hammock, sleeping with geckos on the walls, having no screens on the windows, and no toilet paper allowed in the toilets!

Q: What is the worst job you have ever had?
A: Babysitting for a set of twins who would shoot me with marbles out of a sling shot.

Q: What is your favorite tradition around the holidays?
A: Spending time with family and eating lots of Scandinavian cookies.

Q: What is your favorite movie of all time?
A: I have a few…Singing in the Rain, The Sound of Music, and Pride and Prejudice

Q: What is your favorite book of all time?
A: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen or Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett

Q: What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?
A: Just about any advice I have gotten from my Dad. He always knows how to put things into perspective.

Q: If you could relive any moment, what would that be?
A: My wedding. Marrying a great guy while surrounded by the most important people in my life…it all went way too fast!

Q: Where were you when Sept. 11, 2001, occurred?
A: Wausau, Wis. It was my first day off of work in several weeks, so I slept in that morning. I woke up to find out the world had changed.

E-mail Karin at KSwanson@wisctv.com.