by In her English class as a student at Torrey Pines High School in Del Mar, Alexandra Ingersoll heard a teacher say something that she has since recollected countless times.
I can’t recall exactly what I was having trouble with, but the teacher had the gall to tell me, “You’ll never be a good writer,” Ingersoll told the Times of San Diego. That sentence obviously only made me feel more enraged. I still chuckle occasionally when I remember that remark.
According to Ingersoll, she attributes her career’s deep level of grit and resilience in part to Torrey Pines’ formative hardships.
Ingersoll now serves as the lead reporter for One America News Network, a news network based in San Diego that is accessible by cable, streaming, and satellite. The network covers the U.S. Department of Defense.
The so-called Correspondents Corridor is where her Pentagon office is situated. OAN was chosen earlier this year to occupy the office space that had been set out for a mainstream news company. NPR was replaced by Brietbart News Network, Politico by The Huffington Post, OAN by NBC News, and The New York Post by The New York Times. According to Ingersoll, a lot of the mainstream outlets still have shared workstation areas along the hallway.
“With Trump taking on The Swamp and keeping everyone on their toes, D.C. is never more energized than during a Trump administration,” Ingersoll added. It’s an exciting moment that already feels very different from my first experience.
Ingersoll participated in study abroad and mission service programs while attending Brigham Young University following his graduation from Torrey Pines High School in 2005.
She worked for two years at a magazine and public relations firm in New York City after earning a journalism degree from BYU. She then spent almost five years in Los Angeles working for Larry King, where she produced and wrote a TV pilot series about King and hosted the news for his digital media network.
“I’ve spent a lot of time on the East Coast with extended family who live here, even though I grew up in San Diego,” Ingersoll remarked. My grandfather was a lifelong professor at Georgetown University, so my dad grew up in D.C. As a result, I have always felt a strong sense of belonging to the East Coast.
After working in Los Angeles, Ingersoll moved to Washington, D.C., during the first administration of President Trump, where he worked for local stations and iHeartMedia’s NBC National News. She was given the opportunity to co-host and produce the political news program iHeart’s WONK-FM.
Ingersoll used her unemployment as a chance to get her master’s degree in business administration from the University of Southern California after iHeart reorganized their workforce due to the COVID-19 outbreak. In 2024, she began working at OAN’s San Diego studios as an anchor, producer, and news writer. In June, she received a promotion to cover the Pentagon.
“I will always remember my first day on the Pentagon beat,” Ingersoll remarked.
“I arrived in D.C. on Saturday evening, June 21st, after a few hectic days of packing in San Diego,” she stated. Since it felt like things were getting worse and my news sense was telling me that life was going to get really interesting soon, I was anxious to travel to D.C. as soon as possible.
I was preparing to go to sleep when the hotel TV screen abruptly showed breaking news on the strikes in Iran.
Ingersoll claimed to have discovered that Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth would be briefing the media at the Pentagon the following morning when she watched the President’s announcement regarding the strikes. “Here we go, we’re heading to the races,” she murmured, and I thought to myself.
Hegseth and Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, were briefing Ingersoll on Operation Midnight Hammer at 8 a.m. on Sunday, June 22.
Following attacks on three nuclear sites throughout the nation, Hegseth declared that Iran’s nuclear aspirations had been destroyed. Seven B-2 stealth bombers were used in the mission, which Caine stated was the biggest B-2 strike in American history. It involved almost 125 aircraft, including decoy flights, and 75 precision guided missiles that were dropped on the targets.
On Saturday, June 21, the B-2s launched 14 bunker-buster bombs on several targets at the Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan nuclear complexes within a 25-minute period, from roughly 6:40 to 7:05 p.m. Eastern time. There was no fire on the planes prior to, during, or following the attack. Caine said that the operation’s objective of demolishing the nuclear sites in Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan had been accomplished. America does not seek conflict, and the U.S. strikes did not target Iranian forces or the Iranian people, Hegseth stated during the press briefing.
According to Ingersoll, it was quite amazing to see the scope of our wonderful military’s efforts. It was a memorable first day back in D.C., and being able to participate at the Pentagon is a great honor every day.
She files several news reports every day from the Pentagon headquarters in Arlington, Virginia, according to Ingersoll.
She exclaimed, “I’m thrilled to be here.” Even though it’s definitely not the same as surfing waves at the San Diego beach, I find the process of collecting and reporting information to be a lot of fun. To be honest, I’m still a bad surfer. Additionally, I’m honored to be a part of OAN’s development.
Launched on July 4, 2013, OAN provides 16 hours of live breaking news coverage on weekdays, including national and international news reporting along with live coverage from the Pentagon, Capitol Hill, and the White House. Four one-hour political talk shows that offer analysis, discussion, and debate are also available on the network during prime time on weekdays.
After a number of significant announcements, OAN has been gaining viewers.
OAN’s parent business, Herring Networks, announced a new multi-year content carriage deal with Spectrum TV in May. Through the partnership, OAN gained access to over 12 million subscribers. One of the biggest cable and streaming TV companies in the US is Spectrum TV, which is run by Charter Communications, a company based in Stamford, Connecticut.
OAN was added to all programming packages by Sling and Dish Network in January of this year. Using Eutelsat’s flagship Hotbird satellite, OAN increased its global reach to 162 million homes in North Africa, the Middle East, and Europe last year.
Intesa wins PRSA award for Tourism Authority campaign
The Public Relations Society of America recently presented Intesa Communications Group, a strategic communications and government relations firm based in San Diego, with a Silver Anvil Award of Excellence in the reputation and brand management category for the San Diego Tourism Authority’s Summer of Economic Power: Celebrating Tourism in San Diego communications campaign.
According to a statement from Intesa, the Silver Anvil awards are one of the most prominent honors in the public relations sector. 754 entries were received for this year’s competition, 158 finalists were chosen, and 62 Silver Anvil prizes were given out.
This campaign was a strategic, multilayered effort to tell the story of San Diego tourism and the value it brings to our community through jobs, economic impact, meaningful connection and, yes, a whole lot of fun, said Kerri Kapich, the tourism authority s chief operating officer. We re incredibly proud to receive this award alongside our partners at Intesa Communications Group and grateful to share another win with Team San Diego.
Launched in 2023, the Summer of Economic Power campaign was anchored by two major research reports and brought to life through an integrated communications strategy that combined data-driven messaging with compelling storytelling, Intesa said.
According to Intesa, the campaign kicked off in summer 2023 with a high-visibility event at the San Diego Zoo, featuring a mascot parade with characters from local theme parks and sports teams. The creative launch event spotlighted key economic findings and set the tone for nine months of tactics, including sustained media outreach, stakeholder engagement and strategic partnerships.
The campaign ultimately generated more than $10 million in earned-media coverage, increased recognition of the tourism industry s essential contributions to the local region and provided a fresh narrative about the people and communities powered by San Diego s visitor economy, Intesa said.
This is what happens when smart strategy, great data and genuine love for a place come together, said Margie Newman Tsay, founding partner of Intesa. To be recognized on the national stage, alongside our incredible partners at the San Diego Tourism Authority, is a true honor.
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The PRSA Silver Anvil marked the 12th award earned by the Summer of Economic Power campaign, part of a broader body of award-winning work developed in partnership between SDTA and Intesa.
El Latino publisher launches health tourism marketing agency
MedSynergy Communications is a marketing communications agency that specializes in health tourism marketing, branding, bilingual public relations, and business formation services for healthcare and wellness professionals. It was co-founded by Fanny Miller, publisher of the Spanish-language weekly newspaper El Latino San Diego, and Esperanza Colin, a healthcare strategist.
The agency will help clinics, hospitals, medical spas and independent healthcare providers in Mexico promote their services and connect with patients in the U.S. through powerful storytelling, culturally-aligned branding and results-driven strategies, a statement said.
According to Miller, we’re prepared to make a significant and long-lasting contribution to the discussion of cross-border healthcare. Health tourism is a fast-growing industry, especially between the U.S. and Mexico, and providers need both visibility and structural guidance to compete effectively. MedSynergy is here to support every step, from branding to business setup.
Colin, with experience in multicultural health advocacy and strategic development, said, We don t just market services, we help build the foundation. Our clients often need support forming an LLC or developing a compliant business structure, and we re proud to offer that as part of our holistic approach.
According to MedSynergy, the medical tourism market in Mexico was valued at $1.73 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach $10.36 billion by 2033, growing at a 19.6 % rate. Tijuana alone attracts an estimated 2.5 million medical tourists annually and Americans who travel to Mexico can save 40% to-60 % on comparable medical procedures and up to 75 % on cosmetic surgery.
El Latino San Diego, now in its 38th year of continuous publication, was founded by Miller on Cinco de Mayo, May 5, 1988. With a weekly circulation of about 77,000, El Latino is considered the state s largest Spanish-language newspaper owned by a Hispanic woman.
Rick Griffinis a San Diego-based public relations and marketing consultant. His MarketInk column appears weekly on Mondays in Times of San Diego.
