Shelley Bortz KDKA-TV, Tragedy, Husband, Age, News Reporter

Shelley Bortz KDKA-TV in Pittsburgh Biography

Shelley Bortz is an American Emmy-nominated television news reporter currently working at KDKA-TV in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, since October 2021. Before joining KDKA, she was a news reporter at WPXI-TV from August 2015 to September 2021.

Shelley has also reported for WTAP, an NBC station in Parkersburg, West Virginia. She is a former beauty queen, having been crowned Mrs. Pennsylvania America and Mrs. Ohio United States.

Shelley enjoys hip-hop and R&B music, loves the movie “Love & Basketball,” and is a fan of the TV show “Seinfeld.” She’s an avid reader of true crime books and appreciates Italian cuisine.

Shelley attended Gannon University, where she received a full scholarship to play basketball. As a former basketball player, she held the position of Public Address Announcer for the University of Pittsburgh Women’s Basketball Team. Shelley’s downtime is spent on the basketball court, with her daughter Sydney and their puppy, Phoenix.

She describes herself as a “middle-of-the-day” person and prefers the East Coast over the West Coast. Interestingly, she’s not a fan of either “Star Trek” or “Star Wars”.

• Achievements and Honors:

  • Public Address Announcer for the University of Pittsburgh Women’s Basketball Team for three seasons.
  • Mrs. Pennsylvania America and Mrs. Ohio United States.
  • Inducted into the Fayette County Sports Hall of Fame.
  • Recognized as a Distinguished Alumni of Geibel High School.

Age, Zodiac Sign, Ethnicity, Nationality

Shelley Bortz was born on February 26, 1974, making her 50 years old as of 2024. Her zodiac sign is Pisces. She is of American nationality and white ethnicity.

Parents and Siblings

Shelley was born and raised in Uniontown, Pennsylvania, by her father, George Bortz III, and her mother, Christine Andrews. She has a sister and a brother, George Bortz IV. Her sister competed in the Miss Pennsylvania pageant and placed in the top 15.

Husband

Shelley is married to Bob Ligashesky, the special teams coordinator at Syracuse University. Prior to his role at Syracuse, he worked with the National Football League as an assistant coach. Bob has extensive experience coaching in the NFL and has been part of a Super Bowl-winning team. She has a daughter, Sydney, and a puppy named Phoenix.

Career and Background

Shelley Bortz currently works as a news reporter at KDKA in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She joined the TV station in October 2021. Prior to that, she worked at WPXI-TV in Pittsburgh as a TV news reporter.

Additionally, Shelley served as a reporter at the NBC station WTAP in Parkersburg, West Virginia. She has an impressive background, having held various positions in different locations throughout her career.

She completed internships at WJET in Erie and FOX Sports Pittsburgh before landing her first job as a weekend anchor/reporter in Scottsbluff, Nebraska. From there, she moved to Parkersburg, West Virginia, as the morning anchor and later became the evening anchor/reporter.

She continued her career in Steubenville, Ohio, as the morning anchor/reporter, followed by reporting roles in Jacksonville, Florida, and St. Louis, Missouri. Eventually, she returned to Pittsburgh to work at WPXI as a reporter.

She was a Public Address Announcer for the University of Pittsburgh Women’s Basketball Team for three seasons. Additionally, Shelley was a college basketball player at Gannon University, where she received a full scholarship

Wpxi

Before joining KDKA, Shelley Bortz served as a television news reporter at WPXI-TV in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, from August 2015 to September 2021. During her six years and two months at WPXI, she made significant contributions as a news anchor and reporter.

Her career path has been marked by resilience, dedication, and excellence in both journalism and the pageant world. In 2008, Shelley was named Mrs. Pennsylvania, showcasing her multifaceted talents and commitment to making an impact. 

Tragedy

On that fateful night of April 1, 1994, Shelley Bortz, a student at Gannon University in Pennsylvania, was sitting next to her best friend and Gannon basketball teammate, Kerri Welc, in the backseat of a Chevrolet Cavalier. The car was driven by Shelley’s brother, George Bortz IV.

Larry Renaldi was in the passenger seat. At 11:35 p.m., another vehicle collided with their Cavalier, resulting in serious injuries for all four occupants. Tragically, Kerri Welc did not survive the accident.

Shelley Bortz’s life changed forever that night. Despite the physical and emotional challenges she faced, she went on to play basketball at Gannon University, scoring over 600 points even after being severely injured. The accident left an indelible mark on her, teaching her valuable lessons about life and resilience.

Shelley’s journey from that moment onward has been one of strength, determination, and success, both in her career as a television news anchor/reporter and in the pageant world, where she was named Mrs. Pennsylvania in 2008 and Mrs. Ohio in 2010.

The memory of that tragic accident remains with Shelley, a reminder of the fragility of life and the importance of cherishing every moment. Her resilience and achievements since then serve as a testament to her courage and determination.

Net Worth and Salary

Shelley Bortzer’s career has been marked by resilience, dedication, and excellence in both journalism and the pageant world. Her estimated net worth ranges between $1 million and $5 million. Her annual salary as a news reporter at KDKA-TV is between $40,000 and $110,500.

Is Shelley Bortz Married

Yes, Shelley is married to Bob Ligashesky. They have a daughter named Sydney, born in 2009, and they live in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with their dog, Bella.

How Old Is Shelley Bortz

Shelley Bortz was born on February 26, 1974, in Uniontown, Pennsylvania, United States. As of 2024, she is 50 years old. Unfortunately, the exact date of her birthday is not specified in the available information. 

Where Is Shelley Bortz

Shelley Bortz is currently working as a television news reporter for KDKA-TV in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where she has been since October 2021. Before this, she worked for WPXI-TV in Pittsburgh from 2015 to 2021.  If you’d like to learn more about her current role at KDKA, feel free to explore their website or follow her on her Instagram.

Here are some interesting facts about Shelley Bortz:

• Favorites:

  • Music: Hip Hop and R&B.
  • Movie: “Love & Basketball.”
  • TV Show: “Seinfeld.”
  • Book: Any true crime book.
  • Food: Italian cuisine.
  • Local Restaurant: Meloni’s Restaurant in Uniontown.
  • Hidden PA Gem: Fort Necessity.
  • Sports/Exercise: Basketball, tennis, and kick-boxing.
  • Historical Figure: Mother Teresa.
  • Favorite Pennsylvanian: General George C. Marshall.
  • Quote: “If you’re not making mistakes, you’re not trying hard enough.”
  • Vacation Spot: Aruba.
  • Holiday: Easter.
  • Planet: Earth.

• Fun Facts:

  • Shelley enjoys spending time on the basketball court, hanging out with her daughter, Sydney, and their puppy, Phoenix.
  • She describes herself as a middle-of-the-day person (lol).
  • Her preference is for the East Coast over the West Coast.
  • She’s not a fan of either “Star Trek” or “Star Wars.”