Katy Sai

Anchor Katy Sai appears daily on "Live At Five" and is the driving force behind News3's On Your Side series.

"Personally, I try to remember that life's all about the journey," says Katy Sai. "Professionally, I believe that you can never give up. Accept the fact that there will be plenty of rejection, but also know that if you persist, it will pay off."

Sai enjoys passing her time in Madison where she has lived and worked since 1989.

"When I came here, I never dreamed I'd settle in Madison. But WISC-TV is a wonderful place to work," Sai said. "There's a rare balance here. It's a place you can strive for professional excellence while maintaining personal fulfillment."

Some of Sai's most unusual moments on air have happened during the pet segment of the noon news.

"Nervous animals do strange things," she said. "I've been crawled on, shed on, gerbils have had accidents on me, cats have run away and become lost on the set. You never know what to expect."

"It's a privilege to me that people trust us with their stories. The greatest reward is when viewers feel their stories are fair, compelling and worthwhile," Sai said.

Born in Bangkok, Sai moved to Chicago with her family when she was 5 years old. Before coming to Madison, Sai worked at a CBS affiliate in the Quad Cities.

When she's not working, you'll find her chasing her children -- Jake, Ben and Samantha, who was born on Oct. 10, 2000.

"As any parent of young kids knows, there's not much spare time," Sai said. "When we can, we like to shop State Street and get ice cream at the Union. In the summer, we love to explore the area and take day trips to small towns around Madison. Jake thinks it's quite an adventure to walk around the woods in the Arboretum."

Sai said the most influential person in her life is her husband, Matt, to whom she's been married for at least eight years.

"He's always been an inspiration," she said. "After more than a decade together, I still find his ideas refreshing, insightful and funny. Also my boys inspire me with their reckless abandon and endless curiosity."

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