Patricia Gras

Patricia Gras
Patricia Wins 5th Emmy Awards.
Born	Patricia Elizabeth Gras
Occupation(s)	TV Anchor (1990-2007) Anchor
Years active	1988 - present
Height	5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)

Patricia Elizabeth Gras (born August 12, 1960) is best known as a television anchor and producer working for the Public Broadcasting Service in Houston, TX, Channel 8. Currently she is the senior producer and anchor of Houston’s local talk show “Living Smart with Patricia Gras.” She is also a musician and songwriter.

Biography

Early life

Patricia Gras was born on August 12, 1960, of Argentinian parents, Hector Gras, an anesthesiologist, and Salome Gras, a biochemist. She and her brother Richard were born in Houston], Texas while their father was doing his residency at Baylor College of Medicine and their mother was working at MD Anderson Cancer center. In 1962, they moved back to Mendoza, Argentina, where she grew up. In 1972, her parents decided to return to the United States. Resettled in Houston, she finished high school at St. Agnes Academy in 1979 and went on to get a Bachelor's degree at Texas A&M University.

College and Beginning of Career

For a semester and summer during her university years, she lived in Rome, Italy and Paris, France to study, and traveled extensively throughout Europe. In graduate school, after attending the American Graduate School of International Management in Arizona, she went to study international business in Barcelona, Spain and learned Catalan. After graduation she worked for Ralston Purina's branch in Spain (Gallina Blanca Purina) as a marketing executive. After two years, she worked with Duquesne Purina in Paris as a market researcher. In 1987 she returned to Houston, and decided to change careers. Her first job in television was with Telemundo's Channel 48, which produced the first newscast in Spanish. There she worked as a news reporter, producer, and anchor editor. In 1990 she decided to go back to school to study journalism at Columbia University in New York City. Upon graduation in May of 1990, she began working for Houston Public Television.

Career

Television

Interviewing John Fain

She has been the recipient of over 120 journalism awards including five regional Emmy Awards and 14 national Telly Awards. Her work has also been recognized with honors from many organizations including: American Women in Journalism, American Women in Radio and Television, Houston and Dallas Press Clubs, National Communicator and Videographer Awards, Houston Area Women’s Center, Texas Mental Health Association, Texas Medical Association, Texas Public Health Association, American Cancer Society, American Heart Association. Patricia has also been listed in “Who’s Who of American Women” and “Who’s Who in the Media.”

Music

File:Pattysing.jpg

Patricia took her first guitar lesson at age 11. She formed a Latin and international band, Barandua in 1994. She was the lead singer and percussionist, well known for her Argentine drumming. With Barandua she produced two albums, Barandua Live and Barandua Our Songs which featured original songs by the band members. She wrote four of the songs in that album. Patricia, who speaks five languages, sang songs in several languages. Besides Spanish and English, she sings in French, Italian, Chinese, Hebrew, Arabic and Russian. In 2004, she formed a new band, Quartus which included more authentic wind instruments. She produced a third album, Quartus Living Smart which features the song for her new television series.

Education

Bachelor of Arts in Economics -- Texas A&M University (1983)

Masters in International Management -- Thunderbird University (1984)

Masters in Business Administration -- ESADE Barcelona (1985)

Masters in Journalism -- Columbia University (1990)

External links

• Living Smart website