Torrey Pines Grad's Pentagon Debut: Midnight Hammer

A Journey of Resilience and Professional Growth

As a freshman at Torrey Pines High School in Del Mar, Alexandra Ingersoll had an experience that would shape her future. During an English class, the teacher made a comment that left a lasting impression on her. “I was struggling with something, I don’t remember exactly what it was, but the teacher had the audacity to say to me, ‘You’ll never be good writer,’” Ingersoll recalled. This statement, rather than discouraging her, became a catalyst for her determination.

Ingersoll credits the challenging environment of Torrey Pines High School as a key factor in developing her resilience and grit. Today, she is the chief correspondent covering the U.S. Department of Defense for One America News Network (OAN), a San Diego-based news network available through cable, streaming, and satellite platforms.

Her office is located along the Pentagon’s Correspondents’ Corridor, an area that has recently undergone changes. OAN replaced NBC News, The New York Post took over from The New York Times, and other mainstream outlets still maintain communal desk spaces in the corridor.

“D.C. is never more energized than during a Trump administration, watching him take-on ‘The Swamp’ and keeping everyone on their toes,” Ingersoll said. “It’s a thrilling time, and already feels much different than my first time.”

After graduating from Torrey Pines High School in 2005, Ingersoll attended Brigham Young University, participating in mission service and study abroad programs. She later earned a journalism degree from BYU and worked in New York City for two years at a magazine and public relations agency. She then spent nearly five years in Los Angeles working for Larry King, hosting news for his digital media network and producing and writing a TV pilot series featuring King.

Despite growing up in San Diego, Ingersoll has always felt a strong connection to the East Coast due to her family's presence there. Her father grew up in D.C., where her grandfather was a longtime professor at Georgetown University. This background helped solidify her identity as an East Coaster.

After moving to Washington, D.C. during President Trump’s first administration, Ingersoll worked for iHeartMedia’s NBC National News and local stations. She was promoted to create and co-host iHeart’s WONK-FM, a political news show. When the pandemic hit and iHeart restructured its workforce, Ingersoll used the opportunity to earn her master’s degree in business administration from the University of Southern California. She then joined OAN in 2024 as a news writer, producer, and anchor working at the San Diego studios, eventually being promoted to cover the Pentagon.

Ingersoll recalls her first day on the Pentagon beat vividly. After packing up in San Diego, she arrived in D.C. on June 21, eager to start her new role. That evening, breaking news about strikes in Iran flashed across the hotel TV screen. As she watched the President’s announcement, she learned that Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth would be briefing the press the next morning. “I said to myself, ‘Here we go, we’re off to the races,’” she said.

At 8 a.m. on June 22, Ingersoll was in the room with Hegseth and Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, listening to their briefing on Operation Midnight Hammer. Hegseth stated that Iran’s nuclear ambitions had been “obliterated” following strikes on three nuclear sites. Caine noted that the mission, involving seven B-2 stealth bombers, was the largest B-2 strike in U.S. history.

For 25 minutes, from approximately 6:40 p.m. to 7:05 p.m. Eastern time, on June 21, the B-2s dropped 14 bunker-buster bombs on multiple targets at the Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan nuclear sites. The planes did not come under fire before, during, or after the attack. Caine indicated that the goal of the operation — destroying nuclear sites in Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan — had been achieved. Hegseth emphasized that the U.S. does not “seek war” and the strikes did not target Iranian troops or the Iranian people.

“I was incredibly impressed by the magnitude of the military efforts,” Ingersoll said. “It was an unforgettable first day back in D.C., and it is a great honor every day to contribute at the Pentagon.”

Ingersoll stays busy filing multiple news reports daily from the Pentagon building in Arlington, VA. “I’m excited to be here,” she said. “I find information gathering and reporting a very fun process, although it’s certainly a different kind of fun than catching waves at the beach in San Diego. Admittedly, I’m still a terrible surfer. And, I’m proud to be part of OAN and the network’s growth trajectory.”

OAN, launched on July 4, 2013, produces 16 hours of live breaking news coverage on weekdays, featuring live coverage from the White House, Capitol Hill, and the Pentagon, in addition to national and international news reports. The network also features four, one-hour, weekday, prime-time political talk shows providing analysis, discussion, and debate.

OAN has been expanding its reach, including a multi-year content carriage agreement with Spectrum TV, which provides access to more than 12 million subscribers. Dish Network and Sling have also added OAN to all programming packages. Last year, OAN expanded its worldwide presence to 162 million homes across Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa through Eutelsat’s Hotbird satellite.

Recognizing Excellence in Public Relations

Intesa Communications Group, a San Diego-based strategic communications and government relations firm, was recently honored by the Public Relations Society of America with a Silver Anvil Award of Excellence in the reputation and brand management category for its “Summer of Economic Power: Celebrating Tourism in San Diego” communications campaign for the San Diego Tourism Authority.

This prestigious award recognizes outstanding work in the public relations industry. The competition received 754 submissions, with 158 finalists selected and 62 Silver Anvil awards presented.

The campaign, launched in 2023, was a strategic, multilayered effort to tell the story of San Diego tourism and its value to the community through jobs, economic impact, meaningful connections, and fun. It included high-visibility events, sustained media outreach, stakeholder engagement, and strategic partnerships. The campaign generated more than $10 million in earned-media coverage and increased recognition of the tourism industry’s contributions to the region.

Expanding Health Tourism Opportunities

Fanny Miller, publisher of El Latino San Diego, a Spanish-language weekly newspaper, and healthcare strategist Esperanza Colin have co-founded MedSynergy Communications, a marketing communications agency specializing in health tourism marketing, branding, bilingual public relations, and business formation services tailored for healthcare and wellness professionals.

The agency helps clinics, hospitals, medical spas, and independent healthcare providers in Mexico promote their services and connect with patients in the U.S. through storytelling, culturally-aligned branding, and results-driven strategies. According to MedSynergy, the medical tourism market in Mexico was valued at $1.73 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach $10.36 billion by 2033, growing at a 19.6% rate.

El Latino San Diego, now in its 38th year of continuous publication, was founded by Miller on Cinco de Mayo, May 5, 1988. With a weekly circulation of about 77,000, El Latino is considered the state’s largest Spanish-language newspaper owned by a Hispanic woman.

Rick Griffin is a San Diego-based public relations and marketing consultant. His MarketInk column appears weekly on Mondays in Times of San Diego.