Pulse BEAT
BEHIND THE SCENES
Local TV producer Ali Dugaw finds her purpose in exploring and telling stories
BY ALISON BAILIN BATZ / PHOTO BY CLAUDIA JOHNSTONE
HAIR BY TRACY WELLS, MANE ATTRACTION SALON MAKEUP BY LEIAH SCHEIBEL, THE SPARKLE BAR
20
Uptown April '18
For the better part of a decade, chances are if you saw something cool on Arizona television, Ali Dugaw was behind it. A veteran of both Tucson’s PBS affiliate and Phoenix’s ABC15, today she is a segment producer for 3TV’s Good Morning Arizona. On any given day, she is showcasing the hottest new restaurants, championing local businesses and shining a light on causes that matter in the Valley. But, that only scratches the surface of her passions. “My favorite mode to be in is exploring a new place,” Dugaw says. “I need to breathe new air, meet new people, experience new things.” Her adventurous spirit led her away from TV for a few years. She traveled extensively, backpacking through Central America and Southeast Asia and then spent some time working in the Valley event and culinary world. “Everyone’s always told me I was a natural host, so why not plan parties for a living?” she says. “But I knew someday I’d find my way back to TV.” Now her focus is on telling people’s stories, including her own through the lens of social media. She juggles a personal Instagram account, a behindthe-scenes look at Good Morning Arizona and a recently launched foodie account dedicated to gluten-free finds called Gluten Free Travel Girl (@glutenfreetravelgirl). “I’ve been gluten-free for seven years due to a medical condition, and it’s hard to find good gluten-free places,” she explains of her inspiration for the social media account. “So, I wanted to share my best gluten-free finds, locally or wherever I might be traveling.” She hopes to grow the page and expand digitally this year. In the meantime, you can catch Dugaw volunteering with one of several nonprofits or playing at the park with her pup. And, of course, she’s always looking for her next story to tell.