Ann Curry (b. 1956), National News Broadcaster
Award-winning veteran TV journalist and daytime host, Ann Curry, is one of a kind in the media world.
Born in Guam (United States) to Bob Curry (Cherokee/multi-racial), a career Navy man, and Hiroe Nagase, a Japanese national, Ann lived in Japan for several years as a child and attended the Ernest J. King School on the Sasebo military base. Her mother was a Catholic convert, and Ann was reared in the faith.
The family later moved to Ashland, Oregon, where Ann graduated from Ashland High School. She attended the University of Oregon and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism (1978).
Ann Curry's broadcasting career began in the same year at NBC affiliate KTVL in Medford, Oregon. As an intern, Ann became the station's first female news reporter. She moved to NBC-affiliate KGW in Portland as reporter and anchor (1980). Four years later, Curry moved to Los Angeles, and as a reporter for KCBS-TV (1984-1990), received two Emmy awards.
She joined NBC News as the News correspondent (1990) and moved quickly through the system to become anchor of NBC News at Sunrise (1991-1996). A Today substitute news anchor for Matt Lauer (1994-1997), Ann Curry progressed to news anchor for Today (1997-2011) and, behind Frank Blair (1953-1975), became the show's second longest news anchor.
The Today segment, Ann on the Run, followed her around as she read news on Today, taped Dateline, and filled in live for Brian Williams on Nightly News.
Curry has also filed stories from Sri Lanka, Baghdad, Rwanda, Democratic Republic of Congo, and other major areas of international news.
Ann Curry has amassed five Emmy Awards, four Golden Mics, Associated Press certificates of excellence, three Gracie Allen awards, and the NAACP Excellence in Reporting Award. She was awarded the Simon Wiesenthal Medal of Valor for coverage of the Darfur (Western Sudan) crisis; the Asian American Journalists Association, Save the Children, and other honors.
Curry was conferred an honorary doctorate degree (2010) from Southern Oregon University after delivering the commencement address, and also honorary degrees from Providence College and Wheaton College.
In June 2012 Curry left her position as Matt Laurer's co-host on the Today Show to become the NBC News National and International Correspondent/Anchor. Ann Curry also headed a seven-person unit that produced content and reporting for NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams.
She anchored several NBC News primetime specials, and was a regular substitute anchor for Dateline NBC; Rock Center with Brian Williams; MSNBC, and Today.
Ann Curry lives in New York City with her husband, Brian Ross, a software executive. They have two children, McKenzie and William.
Sources:
Ann Curry.biography
ASK website, Ann Curry
Today website, Ann Curry
Wikipedia, Curry, Ann
KB Schaller(Cherokee/Seminole heritage)is a journalist, researcher, novelist, and illustrator. A version of this article appears in 100+ Native American Women Who Changed the World by KB Schaller, Winner, 2014 International Book Award, Women's Issues Category. Her books are available through Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble, Books-a-Million, and other bookstores. She lives in South Florida. Email: soaring-eagles@msn.com;
