Kaley O’Kelley on Career Whiplash, Resilience and Finding Purpose in Local News

Описание: Her career changed in a single phone call — and again when an opportunity she never knew about was turned down for her.

In this episode of Off Deadline, Kaley O’Kelley sits down with host Melissa DiGianfilippo, founder and CEO of Proof Publicity, to share the emotional highs and lows of life in broadcast journalism. Kaley opens up about being unexpectedly sent to New York to fill in on Good Morning America, the devastation of learning a long-term network opportunity was declined without her knowledge, and how she chose forgiveness over bitterness.

She also talks candidly about divorce, maintaining professionalism on air through personal pain, crying in her car between shifts, and why telling stories of hope and community heroes remains central to her work at ABC15.

🎙 Off Deadline reveals the journalists behind the headlines — and the moments that shape them.

Chapters
0:00 Intro and Kaley’s story setup
0:45 The moment everything can change in journalism
2:05 The call that sent her to New York
4:10 Filling in on Good Morning America
6:20 Career whiplash and staying grounded
8:30 Keeping it together on air during personal pain
10:40 Divorce and still showing up professionally
13:05 Crying in the car between shifts
15:10 The opportunity she never knew about
18:10 Processing shock, betrayal and disappointment
20:35 Choosing forgiveness instead of bitterness
23:15 Why hope matters in local news
25:35 Community heroes and “angels among us” stories
28:20 What she wants people to remember about resilience
30:20 Final reflections and closing

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