Since 2015, Brandon De Hoyos (he/him) has applied his passion for people and inclusive storytelling to help ABC Owned Television Stations’ audience feel seen and heard. As ABC7 Los Angeles’ VP-Community Engagement & Development, De Hoyos aligns the station and its Eyewitness News team around service to the diverse needs of viewers in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura counties. In addition to connecting viewers to vital community resources during breaking news and weather emergencies, De Hoyos leads his team of storytellers to produce content aligned with Disney and ABC7 priorities, including ABC7 Feed SoCal, ABC7 Spark of Love Toy Drive, Make-A-Wish Foundation and Blue Star Families. De Hoyos serves as co-lead for ABC OTV’s Belong ERG, was a founding leader of News + OTV PRIDE, and is a proud member of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists and NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ+ Journalists. This summer, he joined APLA Health’s board of directors in its commitment to empowering Angelenos and ending the HIV epidemic in our lifetime. Before joining KABC-TV in 2025, De Hoyos led community engagement at ABC13 Houston/KTRK-TV. He began his Disney career in 2003 as a Walt Disney World College Program intern. 

Abigail Velez, an El Paso, Texas native, joins the ABC7 Eyewitness News team as a reporter and fill-in anchor. She began her career in Greenville, North Carolina, before moving to CBS Austin, where she reported on some of Texas’ biggest stories, from historic floods and political battles to high-profile criminal trials. A proud graduate of the University of the Incarnate Word and former Miss San Antonio USA, Abigail is an award-winning journalist recognized nationally for her storytelling and clear, personable delivery. She looks forward to bringing her passion for impactful, community-centered journalism to Southern California. 

Karla Mena Escobar is a first-generation Latina and a dedicated advocate for financial literacy and community empowerment. As the first in her family to earn a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from California State University Fullerton and her Master of Business Administration from Pepperdine University, Karla combines her academic achievements with over seven years of experience in the banking industry. Currently, she serves as a Client Relationship Consultant at U.S. Bank, where she manages and mentors a team of twelve high school seniors at the Mountain View High School U.S. Bank Branch in El Monte. Through her leadership, she equips young professionals with essential skills in finance, leadership, and professional growth. Karla is passionate about creating opportunities for underserved communities, particularly by teaching financial literacy to Latinas and empowering them to make informed financial decisions. Her dedication to community outreach is evident through her involvement on various boards, including serving as the Marketing Director for the Latino Business Student Association at California State University Fullerton, and as Treasurer for Fullerton’s Fashion Association. As a 2023 HOPE College Leadership Program Scholar, Karla’s mission is to inspire and uplift others, paving the way for the next generation of Latinas to succeed professionally and personally.

Dayana Falcon is a first-generation Latina of Cuban heritage and Senior Manager of Talent & Growth at The Walt Disney Company. With a career spanning digital marketing, business development, employee experience, and talent strategy across Disney, ESPN, and Interpublic Group, she is known for bringing a commercial growth mindset to talent development. Today, Dayana leads a go-to-market strategy for enterprise learning and growth experiences, helping connect more than 234,000 employees to the skills, coaching, and development opportunities that drive individual growth and business performance. She specializes in combining storytelling, marketing, and emerging technology to transform talent strategies into engines of engagement, adoption, and organizational impact. Dayana is a certified career coach, founder of Gators UNIDOS, and a University of Florida 40 Under 40 honoree. 

Metztli Garcia is a first-generation college graduate from UCLA with a Bachelor of Arts in Public Affairs. She was born and raised in Boyle Heights in a Latinx low-income household, and as a former foster youth, she continues to take responsibility to speak on the issues that her community is faced with every day and create the change she wants to see in both the workforce and in higher education. By day, she is a dedicated Recruitment & Admissions Manager at Summit Public Schools working on diversifying the teacher education sector. By night, she is a social media content creator focused on empowering small businesses, the importance of movement, and financial empowerment. She is also currently the co-host of the HealingIn Spanglish podcast and co-founder of a community garden, Eastside Roots.

Lupe Lazaro is a marketing professional born and raised in Los Angeles with 4+ years of experience. She is currently a Manager on the Brand Consulting team at THE·TEAM agency, where she manages client sponsorship marketing portfolios. Lupe champions multicultural partnerships, bringing her sazón and expertise to every project. Lupe holds a B.A. from UCLA and an M.A. from USC Annenberg. Outside of work, she is a yoga ambassador, fútbol & baseball lover, and community volunteer.