SACRAMENTO – Assemblymember Christy Smith (D-Santa Clarita) honored Melanie Hicken as Woman of the Year in the 38th Assembly District.

“Melanie is a trailblazer in investigative reporting, protecting the public by bringing transparency into the most difficult of issues,” said Assemblymember Smith. “Ms. Hicken leads her community not only in her journalism, but also by contributing to the next generation.”

During the annual Woman of the Year celebration, a woman from each Assembly District is honored in the State Capitol. Each honoree was introduced on the Assembly Floor and received a resolution honoring her accomplishments. The annual event has been a Capitol tradition since 1987 as a way to highlight the achievements of outstanding women throughout the state during Women’s History Month.

National Women’s History Month dates back to 1978, when the principle groups that make up the National Women’s History Project began working in affiliation with the Sonoma County Commission on the Status of Women.

Melanie Hicken is an award-winning investigative reporter for CNN. Her work has exposed everything from widespread sexual abuse in nursing homes to one of the longest-running scams in history. It has also inspired legislative action and government investigation.

Hicken and her longtime reporting partner, Blake Ellis’s groundbreaking investigation into the secret world of government debt collectors won the prestigious Heywood Broun Award of Distinction and inspired lawmakers to take action with legislation aimed at closing the loophole highlighted in the stories. Along with Ellis, Hicken was a finalist for a Peabody Award for CNN’s coverage of guns in America, and has been honored by the International Association of Broadcasting, the National Press Club, the National Endowment for Financial Education, the Radio Television Digital News Association and the National Association of Consumer Advocates.

Hicken is also the co-author of the recent book, A Deal with the Devil, which chronicles her and Ellis’s efforts to get to the bottom of a $200 million case of consumer fraud that preyed on elderly victims for decades.

Hicken is a California native and is a product of the Santa Clarita public schools in the 38th district. She is a proud graduate of William S. Hart High School and tries to speak to and mentor local students as much as possible. She also visits journalism schools around the country to share her experience as an investigative reporter and to encourage them to pursue their passions. She is a proud mom as well and currently lives in Santa Clarita with her husband, Ryan, and 1-year-old daughter, Rory.

Assemblymember Christy Smith represents California’s 38th Assembly District, which includes the communities of Santa Clarita, Simi Valley, Agua Dulce, Castaic, Santa Susana Knolls, and North San Fernando Valley.