Garvin Thomas is a reporter, photographer, editor, and fill-in anchor for NBC Bay Area News. He produces stories under the station's Bay Area Proud banner. They are positive, inspirational stories about the people, groups, and companies making the Bay Area, and the world, a better place to live.
Garvin has more than twenty-five years experience working in television news, having spent time working in Boston, Berlin, Minneapolis, and Los Angeles before coming to the Bay Area in 2004.
Garvin started out at NBC Bay Area as a general assignment reporter, but his responsibilities and skills have grown over the years. In addition to writing and reporting, he also shoots and edits all his own stories. He also fills in as an anchor for NBC Bay Area’s morning, evening, and weekend newscasts.
Garvin has received national awards for his reporting and photography. Garvin won the 2013 Sigma Delta Chi Award from the Society of Professional Journalists for the best feature reporting in the country's 50 largest television markets. In 2014 Garvin won the Gabriel Award, given out by the Catholic Academy of Communication Professionals for feature reporting in the top 25 markets. Garvin has also won more than a dozen regional awards for his reporting and photography, including seven Emmy Awards.
Garvin, his wife Karen and their three children live in the South Bay.
If there is someone or some group you think would make for a great Bay Area Proud story, you can email Garvin at garvin.thomas@nbcuni.com, or connect with him on social media: on Twitter @GarvinThomas, on Instagram @GarvinThomasNBC and on Facebook.
The Latest
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UC Berkeley law student guides 60-year-old living on the streets into stable housing
A Berkeley law student who experienced homelessness growing up befriended a homeless man living in a carport near campus and helped him find housing.
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72-Year-Old San Jose Man And His Border Collie, “Blew Bayou,” Headed To World Agility Championships
Bob Daigle got into the sport of dog agility 13 years ago. He and Blew Bayou were chosen for the US team that will compete in the World Agility Championships in the Czech Republic next month. Garvin Thomas introduces us to this world-class pair on Bay Area Proud.
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‘I'm telling them we didn't forget': Bagpiper, 89, continues tradition of playing outside South Bay fire stations on 9/11
Phil Lenihan has been playing bagpipes outside fire stations on 9/11 for the past 15 years.
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Stanford freshman wins men's title at Xfinity U.S. Gymnastics Championships
The Shark Tank was packed Saturday night, but it wasn’t for hockey.
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After sculptor breaks hand, art community comes together to help finish 20-foot Burning Man piece
For most of this year, Zulu Heru, a sculptor from Oakland, has been working on a large-scale sculpture to be installed at Burning Man called Farmer The Rigger. When he broke his hand, it didn’t look like he’d be able to finish in time. Other artists then stepped in to lend their hands.
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Formerly troubled teen credits famed San Francisco chef with helping turn her life around
Chef Roland Passot has been making great French cuisine for more than 50 years. He’s now making a difference in the lives of others.
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90-year-old battling cancer takes time – and loses hair – to help children in same situation
St. Baldrick’s is a nationwide nonprofit that organizes events where people shave their heads to raise money for kids with cancer. You don’t have to be a kid to participate, as Ron Gillies shows us.
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East Bay group creates hundreds of ‘Quilts of Valor' to honor veterans
Under the leadership of Michelle McCumber, members of the Amador Valley Quilt Guild create and then donate quilts as a way of thanking veterans for their service.
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After protecting students from gangs, Brentwood officer helps them launch musical careers
Liberty High School resource officer, Michael Rucker, helps English language learning students start their own band. Garvin Thomas reports.
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Thousands following North Bay librarian on TikTok for his real-life stories from the library
A Solano County librarian has become something of a TikTok star sharing stories from the library.
