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Ana Garcia

Veteran journalist Ana Garcia is an award-winning investigative reporter for NBC4

Wednesday, Jan 4, 2012 | Updated 4:57 PM PST

Veteran journalist Ana Garcia is an award-winning investigative reporter for NBC4 Los Angeles.

Garcia’s investigations have exposed corruption, fraud, terrorism and consumer scams that have led to legislative changes.

Garcia’s expose of big city contracts and campaign contributions in Los Angeles led to a revision in the city’s fundraising rules and a federal fraud trial

Her 18-month undercover investigation “Tow Truck Pirates” used hidden cameras to show unlicensed tow truck operators taking advantage of unsuspecting drivers. Garcia’s reports were used in Congress as examples of why the federal towing laws should be amended. An amendment was included as part of the Transportation Bill signed by President George Bush in August 2005. In 2006, the California Assembly played the reports in a hearing to document the mistreatment of innocent drivers. Later that year, California toughened its towing law.

Garcia is the only reporter to capture a sex trafficking ring in operation in Northern San Diego County. That groundbreaking investigation led to her receiving a Los Angeles Area Emmy Award for Outstanding Hard News Reporter. In 2010, Garcia would win another Los Angeles Area Emmy for Outstanding Hard News Reporter for her undercover investigation of unscrupulous parking valets.

Her investigative work has earned her numerous other awards, including several Golden Mikes and Edward R. Murrow Awards. She was also the recipient of an Associated Press Award for Best Investigative Series in California, and named Journalist of the Year by the Los Angeles Press Club five times.

She joined NBC4 in 2001 -- then took a break from journalism to work on a congressional campaign and in city government. Garcia rejoined the NBC4 in January 2003 as an investigative reporter, and has also served as an anchor at the station.

Garcia is on the board of directors of the Good News Foundation, a nonprofit founded by the women of Los Angeles television news dedicated to making a difference in the community they cover. The organization does this by awarding charitable grants, academic scholarships for journalism students and other philanthropic activities.

Garcia began her news career as a desk assistant for WABC-TV in New York and spent almost eleven years working for three ABC television stations. She covered political and social issues for New Jersey Public Television before moving on to WPVI-TV (ABC-Owned) in Philadelphia as an Action News Reporter then to KGO-TV (ABC-Owned) in San Francisco, and, finally, KABC in Los Angeles as a weekend anchor and reporter.

Garcia was raised in New York and is a graduate of St. John's University where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication.