About

Hello, my name is Andria Kirkland. Born and raised in Tempe, AZ, I currently reside in Dallas, TX where I just wrapped up my term as the senior producer for Dr Phil Primetime.

It's an unscripted talk show hosted by renowned television personality Dr Phil on his own network Merit TV. Dr Phil rose to fame for his syndicated show centered around family therapy however this relaunch focused on a broad range of issues impacting the country and American families. Among those topics: education, addiction, immigration, homelessness, bullying, domestic violence, technology, medicine/health, athletics and much more.

In my role, I managed a diverse team consisting of an assistant producer, production assistant, booker and field producer. I led with focus, clarity and respect, while also prioritizing and embracing collaboration. As the team lead I spearheaded episode topics and was instrumental in all stages of episode development including booking, research, scripting, staging, graphics, and post-production.

During my time with the network I utilized my strong journalistic background in what is generally considered an entertainment space. My past experience in news emboldened me to create content based on facts, that had depth and was relevant, impactful and thought-provoking.

Prior to Dr Phil Primetime, I was a producer for NBCLX, an innovative national news program by NBC News. Initially launched as a digital news channel, it expanded to include a multicast over-the-air network and a streaming service. NBCLX was designed to break the traditional mold and target a younger viewing audience. Our team served the news with urgency and spunk. Our anchors were stylish millennials, in-touch with what our vibrant, well-rounded viewers wanted and needed on their newsfeed -- and we used relatable language to deliver it. The daily program had newscasts both in the morning and at night and covered the nation's breaking news but also delved into long-form storytelling and the hottest trends/headlines in entertainment. There I created segments on everything from politics, education and science to Hollywood and lifestyle.

Before working on national broadcasts, I was a newsroom leader in San Antonio (the 8th-largest city in the U.S.) as a 10 pm producer for the NBC-affiliate station News 4 (WOAI). I was brought in to help revamp and refresh the show, and we did just that. We placed a strong focus on content, pacing, and showcasing to keep viewers engaged and make each newscast its own, every night. My work there led to me to picking up two Lone Star Emmy nominations for best evening newscast and breaking news reports.

I am an alumni of the University of Missouri - Columbia where I earned a Bachelors degree in broadcast journalism. My college experience working at KOMU 8 (the university-owned commercial television station) allowed for me to become a well-rounded journalist and experience serving in a number of capacities - as reporter, anchor and producer.

In the course of my professional career, my skill set has only grown and expanded. I've developed strong leadership ability, team work, independence, cooperation, communication and time management skills. Having worked on the local level I understand the importance of community and how much of an honor it is to help bring neighbors together, in good and bad times.

Every community comes with its own history and its own stories. And every story and every show has helped shape me into the producer I am.

Journalism is all about people, and I'm privileged to have some wonderful people in my corner as I continue to grow in this industry. A special thanks to those who have given to me albeit education, wisdom, encouragement, or an opportunity. So grateful for all the instructors, mentors and friends that have helped to propel me in my professional and personal life. I look forward to using all that has been poured into me to continue to pour into this field and contribute to the advancement of journalism and society.