Q&A: Sheena Parveen, Philly’s Newest News Celebrity

You don’t meet many Sheenas.
You know, I always look for those little key chains with your name on them and can never find one. When I was little, I used to check every time I went to Busch Gardens, but nothing. I don’t think they’ll ever make a “Sheena.”

You arrived here from Tampa last December. Are you disappointed you didn’t get a whole lot of snow during your first Philly winter?
Coming here during last winter was good for me, I think, because it was not a drastic change. It was mild, and I was pretty happy about that.

How was your first time down the Shore?
We stayed in Longport, and I loved it. I grew up along the Gulf Coast of Florida, but I always loved the Atlantic Coast because you can hear the water, you’ve got the waves, it’s a little bit colder. The Shore reminds me of the Atlantic Coast of Florida.

In Philly, if you’re on the news, you are the news. Was it that way in Tampa?
I’d have to say that it’s pretty different in that regard. What I do is much more noted here than it was in Tampa.

Have you gotten used to that? There are suddenly a lot of guys in Philly who know the name Sheena Parveen.
[Laughs] I don’t know. Can you get used to it?

Have you had any interesting encounters with anyone on the streets?
It’s funny, but people don’t really recognize me. First of all, they’d have to watch NBC. Then they’d have to see me out or something, and I think they might be taken aback by my height—I’m five-foot-two. When people meet me in person, they always go, “Oh, you’re so small.”

What made you want to report the weather?
I used to watch thunderstorms all the time, and I always loved watching lightning, so I knew I wanted to do something with weather. It really wasn’t until I got to college that I realized I could pursue this. And at Florida State, when you go through the meteorology department, you have the chance to do on-camera stuff—and that’s when I started to realize that I could do this.

At NBC 10, you’ve also done cooking segments. Does that mean you’re a whiz in the kitchen?
Yes! I love to cook and can basically make anything. I never measure anything—I just have a knack for flavoring dishes. I can pretty much make something out of nothing, but my go-to dish has to be spaghetti with meat sauce. Or chili.

And you got to interview Hunter Pence.
That was my first time going to spring training for something for work, but I had been to Bright House Field before. I would definitely say that I’m a Phillies fan.

What else should Philadelphians know about you?
I’m a pretty sarcastic and down-to-earth person. I have two dogs—Max and Bella. I love trying new foods and doing anything outdoors. My favorite TV show is Curb Your Enthusiasm—the theme is the ringtone on my phone.

This article originally appeared in the July issue of Philadelphia magazine.