Kristen Sze

I got my start in TV playing a boy. In Taiwan where I was born, my mother was a Chinese Opera singer and actress. So I grew up on the set, playing walk-on roles. The journalism part came after my family immigrated to the U.S. and settled in the Bay Area on the Peninsula. In high school, I began writing for the school newspaper, honing my newly-acquired English skills. I realized I had a golden ticket to meet people, ask questions and find answers. The mission forced me to come out of my shell and overcome my shyness! At U.C. Berkeley, I reported for the campus radio station KALX while interning at nearly every Bay Area TV station. I felt my news sense kick into high gear during the Loma Prieta quake. I had driven across the Bay Bridge only an hour before the partial collapse. I immediately drove to the station where I was interning. Since it was all hands on deck, I got the chance to get interviews and write some stories. When I heard the first story I wrote go over the air, it was a defining moment. I knew this was it for me. I reported in Binghamton, New York, Fresno, Philadelphia and New York City before coming home to the Bay Area and ABC7 News in 1998. It was a dream come true. And now, 20 years later, I still feel humbled and privileged to be able to work as a journalist in my hometown.

What I find most rewarding in anchoring is providing continuous coverage during breaking news. That is when our community needs us most, when it counts on us to deliver accurate, important information in real time. That's also why I tweet and post on social media during the newscast. It's gratifying sharing relevant information and getting instant feedback from our viewers. Tweet me anytime or find me on Facebook and Instagram.

When I'm not anchoring, I'm volunteering at my kids' schools, cheering for them in sports, and rooting for my Warriors, Giants and Cal Bears. I also enjoy working to empower girls and women in journalism, leadership and STEM.

Kristen Sze has been with ABC7 News since 1998. She currently anchors ABC7 News at 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. weekdays. Her reports can be seen on ABC7 News at 4 p.m. and 6 p.m.

Voted 'Best News Anchor' in 2011 by San Francisco BayList, Sze also won Emmy Awards in 1999 and 2002.

Sze graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of California at Berkeley. She is member of the Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society. A scholarship from the Asian American Journalists Association enabled Sze to study at Oxford University in England.

Kristen Sze also volunteers with a number of community organizations as emcee, mentor or advisory board member. She works most closely with Kids and Art Foundation, Help a Mother Out, My New Red Shoes, Wender-Weis Foundation for Children and the Professional Businesswomen's Conference.

Kristen's Stories

Google engineer rejected by colleges uses AI to sue UCs and others for racial discrimination

A Palo Alto father who has filed multiple lawsuits against major university systems over his son's college rejections says artificial intelligence has become the key to pursuing the cases after no law firm agreed to represent them.

Turning cow farts into fuel: UC Berkeley team competes in ACC startup competition, needs your vote

If you love the entrepreneurial drama of "Shark Tank" or the high‑stakes competition of American Idol, UC Berkeley has its own version playing out this week - and it involves cow farts.

Olympic gold medalist Eileen Gu embraces SF roots, leads SF Chinese New Year Parade celebrations

Freestyle skiing champion and international model Eileen Gu is preparing for a homecoming of a different kind as she steps into the role of grand marshal for the San Francisco Chinese New Year Parade on Saturday. For the 22‑year‑old, the honor carries deep personal meaning rooted in her childhood and her connection to the city where she was born and raised.

Andrew Yang calls out Silicon Valley, Democratic leaders over AI, 2024 election in SF conversation

Former 2020 Presidential Candidate Andrew Yang sat down for a conversation with ABC7 Eyewitness News anchor Kristen Sze in San Francisco. During his presidential run, Yang campaigned on being tuned in to the impact artificial intelligence could have on our lives. Sze asked him for his take on the current state of A.I.

Your future delivery order in SF might be dropped off by a little self-driving robot

Answering the question, "Why move two-pound burritos in two-ton cars?" a Redwood City company has built autonomous sidewalk delivery robots already completing orders in several cities and is hoping for a commercial launch in San Francisco soon.

Berkeley Human Rights Center challenges CBS decision to pull '60 Minutes' El Salvador prison report

HRC's co-faculty director Alexa Koenig said her team was "surprised" to learn the segment had been shelved despite clearing CBS's extensive legal and editorial review. Berkeley researchers had spent months corroborating detainees' accounts using geolocation, image analysis, and other opensource methods.

Executive chef of new buzzy San Francisco restaurant Bourbon Steak visits ABC7

Legendary celebrity chef Michael Mina's latest opening brings him back to San Francisco, and everyone came to celebrate: a cable car, Mayor Daniel Lurie, and Warriors superstar Stephen Curry.

EXCLUSIVE: UC Berkeley chancellor responds to federal investigation, campus turmoil

Chancellor Richard Lyons, in a rare and exclusive interview, shared his perspective on turbulent developments like the federal antisemitism investigation, turmoil on campus, securing funding amid political pressure and more.

Robert Reich discusses premiere of 'The Last Class' documentary and the impact of wealth inequality

Directed by Elliot Kirschner, "The Last Class" documents Reich's final months in the classroom, blending lecture footage with behind-the-scenes moments and reflections on his career.

Andrew Yang launches mobile network to combat phone addiction, talks shutdown, 2028 Dem primary

Former Presidential candidate and entrepreneur Andrew Yang joined ABC7 News at 3 p.m. and discussed the nation's political polarization, how Democrats can win in 2028 and his new venture, Noble Mobile, a wireless carrier that pays you back for using less data.

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