Barbara Pinto

— -- Barbara Pinto is an ABC News correspondent based in the network's Chicago bureau. She files reports for "World News with Diane Sawyer," "Good Morning America," "Nightline," and other broadcasts and platforms. Pinto joined ABC News in October 2001.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Pinto reported from Houston's Astrodome, which became the temporary home to tens of thousands of people displaced by the storm. There she covered evacuees' desperate search for missing family members and their struggles to start over. Pinto also reported on the challenges that cities like Houston faced after absorbing so many people in need, namely the impact on city services, school districts, and the community as a whole. During Hurricane Wilma, one of the strongest storms in recent history, she took a perilous trip with the "hurricane hunters" who were tracking it. Pinto and crew repeatedly flew through the eye of the storm so that scientists could gauge Wilma's path and intensity.

In 2005, she covered the trial of serial killer Dennis Rader, also known as the BTK killer, who had terrorized the Wichita area since the 1970's. Rader had evaded police for decades but was finally apprehended in early 2005 and sentenced to ten consecutive life terms.

In 2004, Pinto reported from Florida on the devastation and relief efforts following Hurricanes Charley, Frances and Ivan. She also spent 12 hours in flight with the military's "hurricane hunters" -- repeatedly flying into the eye of Hurricane Frances so that forecasters could map the storm's strength and path. Pinto was also part of ABC News' "Vote 2004" coverage, following the campaigns of Richard Gephardt and Howard Dean.

Pinto has reported on a number of issues, including the landmark decision by Illinois' Governor to clear death row and the manhunt that led to the arrest of the highway sniper in Columbus, Ohio.

Previously, Pinto worked for ABC NewsOne, the network's affiliate news service, where she covered the White House, the Pentagon and Capitol Hill. The stories she covered include the war on terror, the anthrax scare on Capitol Hill, the Congressional investigation into the collapse of Enron, and the abduction of Salt Lake City teenager Elizabeth Smart.

Prior to joining ABC News, Pinto was a correspondent at CNBC, where she followed the dot-com implosion and economic trends. She contributed in-depth weekly segments for the internationally syndicated "Wall Street Journal Report" and also served as a news anchor at both MSNBC and at CNBC. Previous to that, Pinto was a correspondent and bureau chief at WFSB-TV, the CBS affiliate in Hartford.

Her work has earned recognition from the Society of Professional Journalists, the Associated Press, NY Broadcasters Association and the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.

A native of New York, Pinto is a graduate of Houghton College.