ABOUT

Kira Doppel is a first-generation American with dual citizenship in Serbia and Canada and a third-year journalism student at the University of Georgia, where she is on track to graduate in Spring 2027 with certificates in News Media Literacy and Sports Media. She is an aspiring sports media professional with a passion for storytelling, live event coverage, and connecting audiences to the moments that matter most.

Since November 2024, Kira has worked as a contributor for The Red & Black on the Sports Desk, where she has reported on a wide range of sports and interviewed Olympic, professional, and collegiate athletes, including several from the University of Georgia. She is also currently a reporter for The Oglethorpe Echo, where she covers local news and community stories.

In February 2025, Kira covered the SEC Swimming & Diving Championships in Athens, reporting from the event daily—an experience that sharpened her skills in live coverage, deadline-driven reporting, and in-depth sports storytelling. She is currently covering the Athens Rock Lobsters in their second season and regularly interviews coaches, players, and staff.

In addition to her reporting work, Kira has experience in live production and fan engagement as a Production and Marketing Intern for The Dawg House / Huddle @ Hairy’s, a UGA-based sports and lifestyle series. In this role, she assists with on-site production, branded video content, stand-up interviews, and game-day fan engagement, gaining hands-on experience both behind the scenes and in front of the camera.

Kira’s journalism foundation also includes reporting on the Business and Consumer News beat during her Reporting I coursework at UGA, where her group won their class beat competition and advanced to the final round. This experience reinforced the importance of accuracy, ethics, and collaboration in professional journalism.

Her interest in sports media began in high school, where she served as a sports reporter for her school’s YouTube channel, interviewing athletes across multiple sports. Growing up in a sports-loving family and participating in athletics herself, she saw firsthand how sports can unite people across cultures, backgrounds, and generations.

Beyond journalism, Kira brings strong public speaking and stage presence through her pageant experience, including competing at the Miss UGA and Miss Georgia Teen USA levels, as well as hosting and volunteering at large-scale community festivals. These experiences have strengthened her confidence, adaptability, and ability to engage diverse audiences in live settings.Whether you're a lifelong fan or brand new to the game, sports have a unique power to connect, inspire, and uplift. Kira strives to tell stories that go beyond the scoreboard, stories about the fans, families and communities behind the players. Through her experience, she hopes to create a little magic by capturing the heart of what makes sports meaningful to so many