You can take the girl out of Texas, but you’ll never be able to take Texas out of Kristin Diaz. WTOP’s newest morning anchor joins John Aaron at 5 AM, bright and early, bringing a lot of joy, excitement, and passion to the DC market.
Diaz believes, “God really blessed me with bringing me [to DC] during the springtime. It hasn’t been extremely cold and I’m very grateful for that.” When Diaz left Dallas in March, D-Town was already hitting 90 degrees. “I remember the first week I was here, the first full week I was [in DC], there was a cold front. It brought us back down to the 30s and 40s and I had to reach for my jacket.”
The heat has followed Diaz since the move — and we are not just talking about weather. Her infectious positive attitude and spice for life can brighten any rainy day, and it all started in a Houston radio station.
A Lifelong Lineage
Growing up, Diaz often found herself alongside her mom, who worked in media. “My mother was the general manager of a radio station when I was a little girl in Houston, and it’s funny, some of my earliest memories are of being in a radio station. Before that, she actually worked for Telemundo.”
“I have memories of being in the television station, but I grew up around her always being in the business and going to work with mom and I was always close to it, but it was never really my dream,” Diaz recalled.
It wasn’t until high school that Diaz really started considering becoming a member of the media. “I actually found the idea of researching current events and researching both sides of a story through debate [enjoyable],” she added. “That is what kind of got me interested in current affairs, current events, and local news.”
“And I remember a teacher of mine said, ‘Kristin, have you ever thought about being a news anchor?’ And that teacher kind of steered me into that path.” It’s a conversation Diaz never had with her mom growing up. This allowed the native Texan to forge her own path in the industry.
From TV to Radio
She got her first big break in TV as a production assistant before becoming a weather anchor, reporter, and then news anchor. “All of those positions, you know, were stepping stones to — coincidentally — my radio career,” she affirmed.
Calling the move “serendipitous,” Diaz believes going from TV to radio was “God’s timing and planned for me.” The award-winning journalist also believes being a weather anchor really helped prepare her for radio. “Not having a script and knowing how to ad lib and think on my feet. All those things played a part in helping me with my radio career.”
Her hard work and passion were recognized when she was named one of Barrett Media’s Top 20 Major Market News/Talk Radio Afternoon personalities, along with David Rancken, for their work at NewsRadio 1080 KRLD in Dallas.
“It was truly an honor to be able to work with [news] giants [at KRLD]. And I feel like that respect, that honor, the things that I observed from working there — the team, the incredible newsroom atmosphere — that is the energy that I’m hoping to bring here in DC,” she said. “I’m already walking into an incredible newsroom that I’m blessed to have the opportunity to join. WTOP is such a huge station in its own right, just like KRLD. Another legacy station that’s been here 100 years and has such strong roots in the community.”
Building a Community
When the announcement about Diaz’s arrival was made, she found the WTOP community as warm and welcoming as a Texas pecan pie. “I was so overwhelmed by [people welcoming me to the DC area] on social media, on Instagram, on Facebook over the past couple of weeks. Even before I hit the airwaves. And especially afterwards, so many people have reached out to me.”
Many long-time listeners of WTOP have been reaching out as well. She often tells her new colleagues, “You guys have incredible listeners. The way that people have welcomed me and specifically taken the time to be so kind — to reach out, to want to connect me with other people that they know in the area or want to help guide me as I navigate my way around here and learn the ins and outs — that has been seriously so impressive.”
She’s not just connecting with people on air. She’s also stepping away from the mic and getting involved in the community. “I’ve already gone to church a couple of weekends here nearby in my neighborhood. My neighborhood has a little park in the center of it, where I’ve met a couple of other dog walkers and kind of introduced myself there. And every time I go to the grocery store now, I think all the people know — oh, there she is. That’s a Texas girl.”
Diaz believes “it’s kind of hard to stay quiet when you’re a loud Texas Latina.” But she also recognizes her vivacious and effervescent personality is truly a gift from God.
Working With a Purpose
Outside of her morning show, Diaz finds time to give back and mentor students who are looking to follow in her footsteps. “I talk to students often, and I always try to remind them a couple of things. Number one, do not get into this industry if you think that it’s going to bring you validation as a person. Or if it’s going to bring you likes from social media, going to give you fame, or give you glamour.”
In order to be successful in media, Diaz has a reminder for young aspiring journalists. “It’s not about you, it’s about serving the public. You are a public servant. It’s about sharing other people’s stories. It’s about educating, informing, and building connection, and sharing the spotlight.”
Students have also asked Diaz if she ever gets nervous when interviewing people. In true journalist form, she answered honestly. “I used to get nervous when I would interview people or have a position of being able to share the room with someone, if I thought of them as just their title, if I saw them as just the accolades that they’ve made.”
Then one day, that feeling stopped. Not because she became exceptionally talented at conducting interviews. But because “I realized, I have to look at people as just people, and it’s not just their title. They’re normal people, too. They just have a passion. They have found their passion for what it is that they do. And I always encourage students, find your passion.”
As for Diaz, her passion is telling stories and following God’s plan for her. “I’m just really trying to listen to where he’s calling me and be a good person wherever I show up. And I always come across the nicest people and the most interesting people — people who want to open up and share. I don’t take that for granted.”
She views her role at WTOP as a “privilege” and hopes to “never lose that essence. 17 years in this business now, to do this and to be in a new city and to meet new people — it just really reinvigorates me. But I am truly humbled by what I get to do every day.”
Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.
Krystina Alarcon Carroll contributes features and columns for Barrett Media. She has experience in almost every facet of the industry including: digital and print news; live, streamed, and syndicated TV; documentary and film productions. Her prior employers have included NY1 and Fox News Digital and the Law & Crime Network. You can find Krystina on X (formerly twitter) @KrystinaAlaCarr.
