Dez Melenka grew in the small town of Gibbons, just 25 minutes northeast of Edmonton. Like many employees at CTV, she graduated from the NAIT Radio and Television Arts program.
Her first television job took her to Yorkton, Saskatchewan as a video journalist. Dez soon moved on to CTV Regina exploring various behind-the-scenes and on-air roles. Dez credits her time in Saskatchewan for giving her a proper foundation and preparing her for the rigors of big-city broadcasting.
Writing, reporting and anchoring at CTV have given her the experience and a level of comfort to embark of the next phase of her career as co-anchor of CTV Morning Live.
When asked about what she likes best about her job, Dez replies that she loves being part of a team that pushes hard to be the best and works together for a common goal. "Being in a newsroom is like nothing else - you have to work hand in hand with so many different people to accomplish your job everyday," says Dez.
Dez has had the pleasure of sharing many stories with CTV viewers. One notable encounter was getting to know Hannah Gunderson: A wheelchair-bound young girl who was being forced to stop taking a school bus with her friends. Dez was able to share the Hannah's story with viewers who then came together to convince the school board to go back on their controversial decision.
In her spare time, Dez works with Win House for the Edmonton Women's Shelter. She also loves to play fastball with friends she's known since high school.
Dez's favourite classic movie is Gone With The Wind (she thinks Scarlett O'Hara was a woman to be reckoned with, before her time). Current movie favourites are Up Close & Personal, and Morning Glory - both based around strong women and their careers in journalism (go figure).
