Central Texans are about to see a new face on air later this month as a multimedia journalist returns to the Lone Star State from a stint in California. 

Shay Lawson, an award-winning multimedia journalist, is taking her talents to KVUE, according to KVUE news director Travis Sattiewhite. In a post on LinkedIn, Sattiewhite welcomed Lawson to the station, writing that the station’s newest addition “brings energy, curiosity, and a commitment to telling stories that matter. We’re excited to have her back in Austin and on the KVUE team.”

Lawson comes to the Austin ABC affiliate from KESQ in Palm Springs, California, where she has spent the last two years and recently won her first Emmy. However, this won’t be her first time in Texas’ Capital City — Lawson previously interned at the Texas Newsroom in audience engagement. She jumped to KESQ in 2024 shortly after graduating from the University of Missouri, where she anchored at KOMU. 

“Recently honored with the Rising Star Award, I’ve built a strong foundation in investigative reporting across the Coachella Valley,” she told MySA via direct message. “With four years of experience as a multimedia journalist, I thrive in high-pressure situations and bring energy to every interview. I’m thrilled to return to Austin, TX and tell stories that matter!”

However, her departure from So-Cal is still a big move. She wrote in a goodbye post on Instagram last month that coming there in 2024 was “the SCARIEST moment in my life, but the people I met along this journey welcomed me with open arms and we had A LOT of fun.”

“People who will always have a very special place in my heart. To my incredible boyfriend & best friends thank you! Thank you for every time you listened to me and supported me. I will treasure the memories we made together FOREVER! Thank you to KESQ for being an incredible newsroom and to every single mentor who took the time to guide me, helping me grow as a journalist. Thank you to the Coachella Valley community for being so accepting, the desert will always be a place I call home.”

Back in Austin, her first day at KVUE will be July 21, according to Sattiewhite’s post.