Leigh Mills

Evening News Anchor/Reporter
NBC15
Leigh Mills

Leigh anchors the 4 and 6pm newscasts on NBC15, where she has worked since 2003. Leigh has won numerous awards for her work, including a National Edward R. Murrow Award and two Emmy Awards.

Leigh has a long history of working with area non-profits. She is currently a board member of Canopy Center. She also volunteers her time with NAMI, Dane County Boys and Girls Club, Clean Lakes Alliance, Domestic Abuse Intervention Services, Wisconsin Academic Decathlon, Brat Fest, National MS Society, GiGi's Playhouse Madison, AIDS Resource Center of Wisconsin, East Madison Community Center, The Business Forum, Madison Area Down Syndrome Society, Madison Ballet, the Arthritis Foundation Wisconsin and the YWCA.

Leigh has been married to her best friend since 2012. She is a mom to two boys, ages 9 and 6, and a stepmom to an 18 and 16 year old. She says they have a busy house, and she loves every minute of it! Leigh also teaches a weekly turbokick class and completed her first full marathon in September of 2021.

Education
  • Ohio University, BSJ, 2003
  • L'Institute de Touraine, French language and literature, 2002
  • Northwestern University, Radio, TV & Film (Medill Cherubs), 1998
  • Awards
  • 2005: Wisconsin Broadcasters Association Best Hard News Story of 2005 for "Camp Shelby"
  • 2005: Wisconsin Broadcasters Association Merit Award for "Inside Firehouse One"
  • 2005: Associated Press Award for "Inside Firehouse One"
  • 2006: Midwest Emmy Nomination for "More Than Meets the Eye"
  • 2007: Outstanding Media Partner from the National MS Society Wisconsin Chapter
  • 2007: Associated Press Award for Best Hard News: Non-Spot for "Miracle of Medicine"
  • 2008: Midwest Emmy Nomination for "Miracle of Medicine"
  • 2008: Best Live On-Scene Reporting from the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association for "Lake Delton Aftermath"
  • 2008: Madison's Best Local Television Broadcaster from the Madison.com Readers' Choice Awards
  • 2009: Midwest Emmy Nomination for "A Mother's Mission"
  • 2009: Midwest Emmy Nomination for Outstanding Achievement for On-Camera Talent: News Anchor
  • 2009: Midwest Emmy Winner for "Power to Forgive"
  • 2010: Excellence in Media Award, presented by Domestic Abuse Intervention Services, for "The Silent Crime"
  • 2010: Wisconsin Broadcasters Association Feature Award for "Power to Forgive"
  • 2010: RTDNA Regional Edward R. Murrow Award for "Power to Forgive"
  • 2010: Associated Press Feature Award for "Power to Forgive"
  • 2010: RTDNA National Edward R. Murrow Award for Best Feature: "Power to Forgive"
  • 2011: Wisconsin Broadcasters Association 3rd place in Hard News/Investigative for "Quadruple Homicide: One Year Later"
  • 2011: Associated Press Award for Best Hard News for "Quadruple Homicide: One Year Later"
  • 2011: Midwest Emmy Nomination in Serious Feature/Hard News for "Quadruple Homicide: One Year Later"
  • 2011: Midwest Emmy Nomination in Health Reporting for "Teen Anorexia"
  • 2012: Media Award for Excellence, presented by NAMI Dane County
  • 2012: Wisconsin Broadcasters Association Award for Hard News/Investigative for "DA Shortage"
  • 2012: Associated Press Award for Enterprise Reporting for "DA Shortage"
  • 2012: "Best of Madison" TV Personality, silver
  • 2013: Wisconsin Broadcasters Association Award for live reporting
  • 2013: "Best of Madison" Evening News Team, gold
  • 2014: "Best of Madison" Evening News Team, gold
  • 2014: Midwest Emmy Nomination in Serious News (Hard) Single Feature for "Police Shootings: The Untold Story"
  • 2015: Wisconsin Broadcasters Association Award for Election Night Coverage
  • 2015: Wisconsin Broadcasters Association Award for Significant Community Impact for "Crystal Apple Awards"
  • 2015: Wisconsin Broadcasters Association Award in Series/Documentary for "Welcoming Baby"
  • 2017: Wisconsin Broadcasters Association 1st place award for Best Editorial/Commentary for "Unspun"
  • 2019: "Best of Madison" TV News Team, bronze
  • 2020: Wisconsin Broadcasters Association 1st place award for Best Series or Documentary for "Class During COVID"
  • 2020: Eric Sevareid Award of Merit in Series for "Class During COVID"
  • 2021: "Best of Madison" TV News Team, silver
  • 2021: Midwest Emmy Winner in Education Reporting for "A Year Long Project at West Middleton Elementary"
  • 2021: Midwest Emmy Nomination in Education Reporting for "Class During COVID" series
  • 2021: Wisconsin Broadcasters Association 1st place award for Best Coverage of Pandemic Recovery for "Moving Forward During the Pandemic"
  • 2021: Wisconsin Broadcasters Association 2nd place award for Best Significant Community Impact for "26th Annual NBC15 Share Your Holidays"
  • 2021: Wisconsin Broadcasters Association 3rd place award for Best Evening Newscast for "NBC15 News at 6"
  • 2022: RTDNA Regional Edward R. Murrow Award in Continuing Coverage for "From Pandemic to Progress"
  • 2022: RTDNA Regional Edward R. Murrow Award in News Series for "Class During COVID: West Middleton Elementary"
  • 2022: "Best of Madison" TV News Team, silver
  • 2022: Midwest Emmy Nomination for Outstanding Achievement for On-Camera Talent: News Anchor
  • 2023: "Best of Madison" TV News Team, gold
  • 2023: Midwest Emmy Nomination for Outstanding Achievement for On-Camera Talent: News Anchor
  • 2023: Midwest Emmy Nomination for Outstanding Achievement for Evening Newscast: 6pm
  • 2023: Midwest Emmy Nomination in Education/Schools News for "Honoring Educators: Crystal Apples"