Regents Profiles

Enrique Cerna

Office: Member
Hometown: Seattle
Term Expires: September 30, 2025

Enrique Cerna is a veteran journalist who has worked in Seattle media for nearly 45 years. Cerna worked for 23 years at Cascade Public Media’s KCTS 9 and retired in February 2018 from his role as senior correspondent. Prior to joining KCTS in 1995, he worked as a reporter, producer and host for KOMO Radio and Television and KING Television.

At KCTS 9, Enrique produced and hosted award-winning current affairsprograms and documentaries. He produced and reported stories for national PBS programs, provided election analysis for the PBS NewsHour, moderated U.S. Senate, Congressional, Gubernatorial, and Mayoral debates. In addition, he produced and reported documentaries covering critical social justice and civil rights issues, the environment, immigration and documented the history and contributions of Latinos in Washington State.

Enrique has earned nine Northwest regional Emmy awards. The Seattle Weekly honored him with a 2003 Editors’ Choice selection as Best TV Host. In 2006, Seattle Magazine named him one of the most influential people of the year for his broadcast work. And in 2008, the Zeta Pi Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha, the first intercollegiate fraternity established by African Americans, awarded Enrique its Community Service Award for coverage of communities of color. In addition, the Minority Executive Directors Coalition honored him with its 2011 President’s Award and the Seattle Chapter of the National Latino Peace Officers Association awarded him its Outstanding Community Service Award in 2012. In 2013, he was inducted into the National Association of Television Arts and Sciences Northwest Chapter’s Silver Circle for his contributions to the television industry. In 2016, Enrique was honored by the U.S. Mexico Chamber of Commerce Northwest Chapter Executive Board for his coverage of Washington State’s Latino community and by AFP Advancement NW for his 15 years as emcee of National Philanthropy Day, Washington State’s largest celebration of philanthropy.

Active in the community, Enrique serves on the Washington State Historical Society Board of Trustees, the Yakima Valley Museum Board of Directors and King County Television’s Citizens Advisory Committee. He has also served on the boards of United Way of King County, the World Affairs Council of Seattle, Seattle City Club and the Chief Seattle Council’s Scout Reach program. He was the co-chair of the successful Plaza Roberto Maestas Capital Campaign which raised more than 40 million dollars to build low income affordable housing on Seattle’s Beacon Hill.

Enrique grew up in the central Washington community of Wapato. He is a graduate of Washington State University.