Shawn Chitnis

Shawn Chitnis is excited to be back home in western Washington reporting weekday mornings for Good Day Seattle after more than 15 years working across the country.

Shawn joined the FOX 13 News team in October 2024 after most recently working for KPIX-TV in San Francisco. For almost three years, he covered stories all over the Bay Area including the death of Senator Dianne Feinstein, record rainfall in the region, the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic on the local economy, as well as spotlighting some of the many diverse communities living in northern California.

Before moving to the Golden State,  Shawn spent over six years in Denver as a reporter for KCNC-TV. He had the chance to report on a variety of topics with the majority of his final two years focused on the start of the pandemic and how people around Colorado dealt with each new challenge that global public health crisis created. Many of his favorite assignments allowed him to showcase the food and culture happening all around the Rockies. From the latest art exhibit in town to the newest restaurant opening, Shawn always looked forward to his next opportunity to learn from the creatives in that state. This included covering the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen three summers in a row, where he met and interviewed some of the most famous chefs in the country! 

A career made up of reporting around the West began in eastern Washington. He spent almost seven years on the other side of the Cascades where he got one of the most impactful stories of his life. Shawn was the first reporter to sit down and interview Rachel Dolezal, the former president of the local chapter of the NAACP in Spokane, after the world learned she had misled the community about her racial identity. His time at KREM-TV in the Lilac City also included many days covering winter weather and summer wildfires. The annual three-on-three basketball tournament, Hoopfest, was the event he looked forward to the most each summer. Conditions from having all four seasons became the norm for him while at KNDO-TV in Yakima, his first reporting job. One of the most memorable liveshots he has ever participated in remains a segment early on while in central Washington on the station’s morning show. He and other reporters were bowling with frozen turkeys to help feed families in need around Thanksgiving!

Shawn began his career as a desk assistant for ABC News in New York and Los Angeles while still in college. He is a longtime member of the Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA) and the South Asian Journalists Association (SAJA).

A proud Trojan, he studied Journalism and Business at the University of Southern California! FIGHT ON! Shawn grew up in Snohomish County and loves living in that same area now that he’s back in town. He has two reasons to say, "Go Hawks!" as a graduate of Mountlake Terrace High School. He was born in Seattle.

Returning to his home state means when Shawn isn’t working, he can explore many of the places in western Washington he never got to see before moving away. He enjoys trying new restaurants and seeing the beauty of the Northwest with family and friends. There are also many spots on his list to visit across the country and overseas that he hopes to check off as someone who loves to travel. While his early morning shift does not make it easy, he won’t hesitate to stay up late for a live theatre production and concerts too. Shawn just has to catch up on sleep the next day!

Please say "Hello!" or send him your story ideas by emailing Shawn or connecting with him on social media: @shawnchitnis!