Lissette Gonzalez

Miami girl brings her talents back home

Born and raised in Miami, Lissette Gonzalez is a Cuban American beauty who is back home in South Florida following a career that has taken her throughout the United States. Now Lissette wakes up dark and early at 3:00 am so that viewers can see her on WFOR-TV CBS4 every weekday and catch her award-winning weather forecasts.

A self-made woman, Lissette’s career has been diverse. While at the University of Miami, she stumbled upon the Miss University of Miami Scholarship pageant and figured it would be a great opportunity to fund her education and open doors in the television and entertainment industry. In the years to come, she won Miss Miami, Miss Florida and became second runner-up to Miss America. It was during that fateful Miss America national telecast that Lissette’s rendition of “All That Jazz” caught the attention of a prominent theatrical producer who referred her to Tony Award-winning producer Dasha Epstein. Epstein had been searching for a leading lady to star in a new Latin musical she was producing with Enrique Iglesias.

Lissette moved to the Big Apple to star as “Maria” in the Off-Broadway hit “4 Guys Named Jose and una mujer named Maria”, and proved to be an audience favorite and the critics’ darling. The New York Times’ Ben Brantley wrote that Lissette “has a comic gusto…She is a bombshell beauty with the face-splitting grin of Julia Roberts.”

Her success Off-Broadway led to a record deal in 2001 with RCA Records and Lissette recorded with Grammy-award winning music producers and songwriters in New York, Los Angeles and Miami while pursuing her passion for broadcast journalism.

Prior to joining CBS4, Lissette served as Weather Anchor for KTLA’s Prime News in Los Angeles, the number two market in the country. Her weathercast was recognized by the Associated Press Association of California, Nevada and Hawaii with a Mark Twain AP Award for “Best Weather segment.” She was also nominated for a Los Angeles Emmy Award for her work as host of the KTLA special “Access LA: de todo-Latin Explosion.”

Community relations are a strong initiative for Lissette and she frequently visits South Florida schools to speak to students about weather and the importance of education. She has hosted and been involved in many events supporting organizations including the Susan G. Komen Foundation, St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, Dream in Green, Amigos for Kids, American Red Cross, “Go Red for Women,” and Padres Brillantes. Additionally, Lissette is involved in CBS4’s Neighbors 4 Neighbors programs, including the School House Toy Drive and Adopt-a-Family. An avid runner, she participates in the Race for the Cure and the Miami Corporate Run to help raise funds and awareness for different causes.

Fans of this hometown beauty can see Lissette every morning from 5 to 7 am and again at noon on CBS4. From 7 to 9 am, Lissette provides live, local weather updates throughout the National CBS “Early Show.” She also ventures outside of the studio to report and deliver her weathercast from South Florida’s most vibrant events and celebrated venues including the South Beach Wine & Food Festival, the Coconut Grove Arts Festival, Sony Ericsson Open, CA Golf Championship at Doral, the Ft. Lauderdale International Boat Show, Miami International Boat Show and Carnaval on the Mile.

Still passionate about her musical roots, lucky Miamians who frequent sporting events may see Lissette sing the National Anthem and “God Bless America” at the Heat, Marlins and Dolphins games. She’s a hometown girl who learned her craft in the country’s major cities only to bring it all back home to the city where it all began.