Mikhayla Hughes-Shaw

Mikhayla Hughes-Shaw

Cincy Lifestyle

Client Content Producer/Host

Mikhayla Hughes-Shaw is a Quad Cities native from Rock Island, IL. She earned her bachelor’s of arts degree in Journalism and Mass Communication with a certificate in Critical Cultural Competence from the University of Iowa. She formerly worked as the main host of Loving Living Local airing weekdays on WHBF-TV in the Quad Cities. She highlighted the local places, people and things that make the Quad Cities a great place to do life. She is excited to do the same for Cincy Lifestyle!

Mikhayla is well-versed in media including television reporting, magazine writing, podcasting and social media management. In 2020, she worked as a News 21 Investigative Reporting Fellow for the Kids Imprisoned project, which investigated the disparities in the US juvenile justice system. This project received a Robert F. Kennedy Award for Excellence in Digital Reporting.

Mikhayla is not only a storyteller, but also an advocate. She served as Miss Iowa 2018 for the Miss America Scholarship Program. During her year of service, she completed over 150 community and school appearances and talked to over 10,000 students about the importance of mental health awareness and suicide prevention. She used this platform to compete for the title of Miss America 2019 in Atlantic City, New Jersey. In 2019, she established her nonprofit organization How About HOPE (Helping Others & Providing Encouragement) which works to change stigmas surrounding mental illness, specifically focusing on minority mental health. She is passionate about making a difference.

Mikhayla also volunteers with Love Girls Magazine, instilling storytelling skills in the next generation of female writers.

In her free time, she enjoys playing her violin “Charles”, buying too many candles and plants, binge-watching crime documentaries and attending concerts. She loves music of all genres from classical to country.

Do you have a fun story idea for Cincy Lifestyle? Shoot Mikhayla an email at mikhayla.hughes-shaw@wcpo.com.

Stay connected with Mikhayla!

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