Mari is a senior investigative reporter leading the award-winning NBC 7 I-Team and a Weekend News Anchor for NBC 7. Mari’s stories have prompted local, state, and federal investigations and caused law and policy changes.
She has won numerous Emmy awards for her investigative stories and for her live reports. She's reported breaking news live on the TODAY show, MSNBC, and other NBC stations across the country. She’s also received numerous awards from the Society of Professional Journalists and Press Club.
Before working in San Diego, Mari worked at WLBT, the NBC affiliate in Jackson, Mississippi. While at WLBT, she was sent to the Mississippi Gulf Coast, where she rode out the storm and covered the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. She also won an Associated Press award for a piece on the obesity epidemic in the state of Mississippi.
Mari graduated magna cum laude from the University of Southern California with a double major in Broadcast Journalism and Political Science.
She was a Renaissance Scholar and graduated from the Annenberg School for Communication.
Mari is a member of the Asian American Journalists Association and Investigative Reporters and Editors (IRE).
When she’s not reporting, Mari is chasing her two young kids around. She loves the local food and wine scene, traveling, cool hotels and watching USC football.
If you have a story idea, restaurant recommendation or a cool suggestion on family-friendly activities, drop Mari a line!
Drop Mari a line: mari.payton@nbcuni.com.
Follow her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/MariNBCSD
Instagram: MariPaytonTV
Facebook: Mari Payton NBC
