Charly Edsitty is leaving ABC13 KTRK Houston, according to an internal email obtained by mikemcguff.com. Her last day will be September 24, 2026.
"It is so bittersweet to say goodbye after an incredible journey at ABC13," Edsitty wrote in the email to KTRK staff. "I am immensely proud of everything we have accomplished together, but more than that, I am filled with so much gratitude! Thank you all for your hard work, the memories, and the laughs.
"These past eight years in Houston have shaped me into the journalist I am today. It has been an absolute privilege to share a newsroom with the best in Texas—some of the most dedicated, talented, and professional people I will ever have the pleasure of working with. It was a fun ride and I will always root for your continued success."
During her time in Houston, Edsitty reported on some of the biggest stories in Texas, including the 2019 mass shooting at an El Paso Walmart, the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2021 Texas freeze, and numerous tropical storms and hurricanes, including Hurricane Beryl.
She also expanded her national profile during her time at ABC13, where she worked with ABC News. On July 4, 2026, Edsitty was part of ABC's coverage surrounding the nation's 250th anniversary as the network presented its 24-hour "Disney Celebrates America" programming marathon.
Edsitty also earned a 2025 Gracie Award for her work on "Reclaimed: The Lifeblood of Navajo Nation" through ABC Audio. She previously appeared in the documentary "Our America: Indigenous and Urban," returning to the Navajo Nation in the Four Corners region where she spent much of her childhood.
Her television career began when she joined KPNX in 2013 as a planning producer for "12 News Today," booking guests and scripting segments. After a year, she transitioned to an on-air reporting position in the station's Northern Arizona bureau, based in Flagstaff, where she covered wildfires, snowstorms and Indigenous communities across northern Arizona. She later became a general assignment reporter in Phoenix.
Edsitty's journalism background began in print, where she specialized in Native American issues, including tribal politics, sports-mascot controversies, and identity issues. She is a member of the Navajo Nation and has been an active advocate for Indigenous representation and storytelling throughout her career.
Born in Farmington, New Mexico, and raised in Glendale, Arizona, Edsitty considers the Phoenix area her hometown. Her connection to the Navajo Nation runs deep. She spent much of her childhood making the long drive with her family to visit her grandparents, William and Hannah, on the Navajo Nation. She has credited her grandparents with instilling in her a strong connection to her Diné heritage and a love of storytelling.
Edsitty graduated from Cactus High School in Glendale before earning a print journalism degree from Baylor University in Waco. Her early journalism experience included internships with CBS News and the White House. She is also a graduate of the Gannett Talent Development Program and the Freedom Forum's American Indian Journalism Institute and is a member of the Native American Journalists Association.
