Olena Heu

Wednesday - November 04, 2009
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Let’s face it - it’s not the easiest task to wake up in the morning. But as we rub the sleep from our eyes, we are greeted by a new but familiar face. KHON2 News’ Olena Heu shares her energetic spirit with viewers as she was recently named co-anchor of Wake Up 2day, joining Kirk Mathews, Jai Cunningham, Manolo Morales and Trini Kaopuiki.

“I love my new position!” Heu says. “It’s so much fun, plus at the end of the day I feel extremely productive.”

But with the alarm going off at 2 a.m. every day, she’s quick to mention that she hasn’t fully adjusted to the new schedule just yet.

“I worked nights and weekends for two years, along with previous jobs where I worked only nights, so the adjustment is slow-going. I try to get to work by 3 a.m. so I can help with preparations for the show.” The show airs Monday through Friday from 5 to 8 a.m. on KHON2.

Heu appeared on MidWeek‘s cover in July 2004 as Miss Hawaii. Since then she’s traveled the globe from Shanghai to Tokyo to Washington, D.C. She graduated from Hawaii Pacific University with a degree in communication, concentrating in speech. Upon graduating, Heu was hired at KHON2 in July 2007 as a general assignment reporter.

“I interned at a local news station as a part of my practicum,” she explains. “There I got a taste of what it’s like to work in news and I loved it. I decided this was the right career for me.

“I’ve known Ron Mizutani since I was 13 years old, and he recommended I call (KHON2) and apply. I did, I was hired and I’m so very lucky!”

These days, Heu is clocking in approximately 12-hour workdays. After completing her anchoring duties, she works on stories for the 5 and 6 p.m. newscasts before fitting in some time for exercise and enjoying newlywed time with husband Daniel. Lights out, Heu says, is at 8 p.m.

“So far the morning show is a good fit,” shares the Kauai native. “The team has been very supportive and encouraging to help make the transition a smooth one.

“Wake Up 2day is three hours long and we have interesting guests, special live shots, lots of fun and it’s upbeat,” she adds. “The hardest part is being able to roll with the punches - with live television you never know what’s going to happen.”