Lileana Pearson
Lileana spent 2019-2021 reporting for WOWT in Omaha, NE. During her time in the Midwest, she interviewed nearly a dozen presidential candidates for 2020 Iowa caucus season, covered a historic flood of the Missouri River, and interviewed the first Americans to contract COVID-19 as they were transported to receive treatment at Omaha's biocontainment unit at Nebraska Medicine.
Lileana received her undergraduate in media studies at Lindsey Wilson College in her hometown of Columbia, Kentucky before moving on to earn a master's degree in broadcast and digital journalism from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University.
Lileana was born in Washington State but has lived in Washington, Rhode Island, Kentucky, New York, Nebraska, North Carolina and now Texas. She did most of her growing up in rural Kentucky, so she calls that home.
She is thrilled to have landed in the Lone Star State and looks forward to many new, exciting adventures here in Houston and around the state. In her off time, you can find her walking her dog Lentil, enjoying the outdoors, or getting creative in the kitchen.
If you have a story, issue, or concern, reach out to Lileana on her social media or at Lileana.x.pearson@abc.com. She looks forward to telling your stories!
Lileana's Stories
Woman pistol-whipped during attempted carjacking struggle in Third Ward, HPD says
The woman said she was pistol-whipped and shot in the shoulder when the suspect approached her around 2:30 a.m.
19-year-old arrested after allegedly stabbing pregnant woman who is dating her ex-boyfriend: Records
A 19-year-old is in custody after documents reveal she allegedly stabbed a pregnant woman who is dating her ex-boyfriend.
Spring ISD skirts potential takeover after making academic gains
Annual state accountability ratings show Spring ISD improved from a D-rated district to a C and dropped its number of F-rated campuses from 11 to 2 in the 2025-26 school year.
Houston Police Department is the top Flock camera searcher in Lucas County, Ohio, data shows
The Lucas County, Ohio, Board of Commissioners president, Pete Gerken, said he was shocked to learn Houston Police is the agency searching their Flock camera systems the most.
Houston ISD's state takeover timeline could face step back with addition of four F-rated campuses
The Texas Education Agency has said state-controlled HISD must eliminate multi-year failing accountability grades at all campuses before the state returns control to the district.
La Porte ISD faces public education challenges head on as they welcome student back to school
We often talk about big school districts like HISD, Katy, Fort Bend and Cy-Fair, but ABC13 reporter Lileana Pearson is showing how smaller districts tackle challenges head-on.
Money and politics play a role in public education curriculum gaining popularity in Texas
As Texas lawmakers put more restrictions on what is approved for the classroom, one expert told ABC13 that one curriculum has a clear advantage.
Enrollment in public education continues to decline across Texas, state data shows
Across the county, in Texas, and here at home, fewer students are being enrolled in public schools, and experts expect the trend to continue.
Texas' first voucher recipients head to the classroom for first day of school
Many students in the Houston area were back in the classroom on Monday for the first day of school, including those using the first Texas Education Freedom Account, also called TEFA, or voucher dollars.
Only on 13: Man speaks with ABC13 after allegedly threatening Gov. Abbott's office over anime site
Court documents show that the threatening voicemail to Gov. Abbott's office was apparently about anime and the recent Texas law requiring age verification for certain websites.