Baldner began her broadcasting career at KOMU TV, Columbia MO and later served as an anchor-reporter for WGEM-TV. She was an anchor for WICS-TV, Springfield, Ill. from 1991-1992 before returning to WGEM where she served as host of WGEM News at Sunrise for 12 years. She later was a special assignment reporter and assignment editor. She has also served an associate instructor in communications at Quincy University and a columnist for the Quincy Herald-Whig.
Since 2009, Baldner has been Branch Director for the West Central Illinois District of the Arthritis Foundation. She said she was eager to return to journalism. “I have long admired and respected the work done by KHQA and am excited to be joining an excellent news team.”
As a long time director of the Arthritis Foundation - Greater Illinois Heartland Region, she established the Nora Baldner Ladies Golf Classic. These charity benefits have been held in Quincy and Macomb for the past 15 years.
Baldner was a director and past president of the Quincy Service League and also served as a director of the Springfield Association for Retarded Citizens, Quincy Salvation Army, West Central Illinois Child Care Connection and the Girls Scouts of Illinois. She has also been active in fund-raising activities for the Quincy Family YMCA, Quincy Humane Society, Quincy Symphony Orchestra and the Adams County Safe Kids Coalition. She is a member of the Adams County League of Women Voters.
She was a key contributor to team news coverage that received the Edward R. Murrow Award for Excellence in Journalism, the Sigma Delta Chi Award from the Society of Professional Journalists and an Emmy Award for Excellence in Broadcast Journalism. She received the Award for Excellence in Children’s Television from the Missouri Broadcasters Association and the Women of Achievement Award from the Quincy YWCA.
Baldner received a B.A. in Political Science from the University of California–Davis and a M.A. in Journalism from the University of Missouri-Columbia.
She and her husband, Kent Schnack, are the parents of two children.
TV Station Profiles & Public Inspection Files forKHQA