Niles West High School named Diane Pathieu, Class of 1996, as the recipient of its 2025 Distinguished Alumni Award. Pathieu was honored at the Niles West Accolades Program on May 14, 2025.

Pathieu has been a familiar face at ABC7 since 2011, where she started as a general assignment reporter. Currently, she is the weekday Traffic anchor on the ABC7 Morning News, host of the station’s 7:00 am streaming newscast, and reporter for the popular “Weekender” segment every Friday at 11:00 am.

In her recorded acceptance speech for the award, Pathieu reflected on her time at Niles West as the foundation that shaped the person she has become. She recalls the energy, spirit and most of all, the diverse cultures and experiences that made the school feel alive and created a sense of community. 

“My time at Niles West was more than a high school experience. It gave me a broader perspective of the world and helped me understand how valuable different voices are, something that has helped shape my entire career in journalism. It gave me the strength to speak up, to represent my Assyrian community, and to keep pushing forward even when that path wasn’t easy,” she said.

As she congratulated the Niles West Class of 2025, Pathieu encouraged graduates to embrace the fast-paced, uncertain, and competitive world ahead, emphasizing that their talents and ideas are needed now more than ever. She advised them to be patient with themselves, don’t fear failure, and trust the process. 

Pathieu graduated from Columbia College Chicago and worked across the midwest before returning to the Chicagoland area. She is a proud first-generation American of Assyrian descent. She is married to her husband Nicholas, a former firefighter/EMT, and has publicly shared his journey with Glioblastoma to raise awareness and support for brain cancer research.
For more information about Diane Pathieu and to view her acceptance speech in its entirety, please visit the Distinguished Alumni page of the D219 website. D219 encourages Niles West alumni to join the alumni network - find out more at https://www.niles219.org/alumni/home.