Beginning this month, a face familiar to San Diego news viewers will join the staff of Pomerado Public Health (PPH) as a spokesperson.

Healthy Carol LeBeau swims

two miles a day.

^{Courtesy photo}

“It’s right up my alley,” says former KGTV news anchor Carol LeBeau, “all the things I love most.”

For nearly three decades, LeBeau was an anchor, and also covered health and fitness news for Channel 10. She retired in May 2009. She says her new role as spokesperson at PPH will include radio and television advertising, health videos and public outreach. In February, for example, for heart month, LeBeau will host a forum with PPH heart specialists at the Rancho Bernardo Inn as part of a series called, "Dine with the Docs."

“There will be a panel to chat with women about the issues of women and heart health and after, an opportunity to actually sit down with the doctors and visit with them one on one,” says LeBeau.

LeBeau’s career switch is part of a growing trend. Last August, sandiegoDTOWN.com detailed the migration of local reporters and news anchors away from media to jobs in public relations. Examples: Former Metropolitan Editor Tim McClain’s shift to press secretary/legislative assistant for Supervisor Ron Roberts, KGTV weather reporter Geni Cavitt’s recent hire by Councilwoman Marti Emerald (herself a former Channel 10 consumer reporter,) and ex-Union-Tribune reporters Mark Sauer and Chet Barfield landing jobs as district representatives for San Diego Councilmember Donna Frye.

But, instead of politics, LeBeau says that it was the health industry that appealed to her.

“I’m a 55-year-old woman now,” she says. “I’ve made all the mistakes of health and well being there are to make out there. I’ve survived to rectify that situation and found that if you want to be the most productive, healthy, joyful person possible at any age, you’ve got to take care of yourself first.”

PPH says they will create a website within its own site for LeBeau at www.pph.org/carol.

“It’ll be my own little platform every month to do a series of articles and entries on a variety of topics in the area of health and well being, and even some fun things like easy recipes,” says LeBeau.

So, how does she stay in shape? LeBeau swims two miles a day in the ocean and, even though the water temperature is a frigid 56 degrees, she says she’s old school, meaning no wet suit. She credits her good health to those daily swims, even if they give new meaning to the word "chillin".

“As long as you get out of the water and get the wet swimsuit off and get into some fleece right away,” she laughs, “you’re usually all right.”