Kristen Welker
{{short description|American television journalist (born 1976)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2023}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Kristen Welker
| image = Governor-healey-participates-in-fireside-chat-with-nh-gov-sununu 53662835948 o (1).jpg
| caption = Welker in 2024
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1976|07|01|mf=yes}}
| birth_place = Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
| nationality =
| education = Harvard University (BA)
| occupation = {{hlist|Journalist|correspondent}}
| otherparty =
| spouse = {{marriage|John Hughes|2017}}
| children = 2
| years_active =
| employer = NBC News
}}
Kristen Welker (born July 1, 1976{{cite web|author=Kristen Welker (@kwelkernbc)|title=Thanks so much! "@ happy. We share with Pam Anderson and Lady Diana. Solid company." |url=https://twitter.com/kwelkernbc/status/616244590664794112 |publisher=Twitter|access-date=April 6, 2016|date=July 1, 2015}}) is an American television journalist working for NBC News. She serves as a White House correspondent based in Washington, D.C.,{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/author/kristen-welker-ncpn6396|title=Kristen Welker|work=msnbc.com|date=October 11, 2010 |access-date=April 18, 2016}} and served as co-anchor of Weekend Today, the Saturday edition of Today, alongside Peter Alexander from 2020 to 2023. She took over hosting duties for the longest-running program in television history, Meet the Press, on September 17, 2023.{{cite web |title=Trump joins Kristen Welker in her first show as moderator of Meet the Press – September 17 |url=https://www.nbc.com/meet-the-press/video/trump-joins-kristen-welker-in-her-first-show-as-moderator-of-meet-the-press-september-17/NBCN147461836 |publisher=NBC News |access-date=2024-06-03 |date=September 17, 2023}}{{Cite web |date=2023-09-17 |title=Commentary: 'Meet the Press' debuts with Kristen Welker and treads familiar ground with Trump |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/tv/story/2023-09-17/meet-the-press-kristen-welker-donald-trump |access-date=2024-02-08 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}
Early life and education
Welker is the daughter of Harvey and Julie Welker.[http://www.phillymag.com/news/2010/08/30/hughe-dillon-jonas-brothers-play-ball-in-camden/ Philly Magazine: "HughE Dillon: Jonas Brothers Play Ball in Camden - Plus today’s Snoop Dogg appearance, a farewell party for NBC 10s Kristen Welker, and D.A. Seth Williams sings for his supper" By Hugh E. Dillon] August 30, 2010 Her father is an engineer, her mother a real estate agent.Dan Gross. " Go West Young Kristen Welker." Philadelphia Daily News, August 19, 2010, p. 28. Welker's father is White and her mother is Black.[https://web.archive.org/web/20140504024323/http://articles.philly.com/1995-04-27/news/25685948_1_flier-supporter-black-council-member Philly Magazine: "Race For Votes Flier's Bigoted, Sexist, Welker Camp Argues" by Cynthia Burton and Mark McDonald] April 27, 1995 She graduated from Germantown Friends School in Philadelphia in 1994 and Harvard College with a Bachelor of Arts in 1998.[http://www.phillymag.com/news/2011/12/20/kristen-welkers-gig-hanging-obamas/ Philly Magazine: "Kristen Welker’s New Gig: Hanging Out With the Obamas - The Philly native and NBC10 alum joined the White House press corps" By Gail Shister] December 20, 2011[http://www.phillymag.com/news/2010/08/19/brian-williams-matt-lauer-kristen-welker/ Philly Magazine: "Brian Williams, Matt Lauer … Kristen Welker? - The Philly-bred reporter is headed for the big leagues as a national correspondent for “Nightly News”" By Gail Shister] August 19, 2010{{cite web | url=http://alumni.harvard.edu/help/directory-search | title=Harvard Alumni Directory | access-date=April 9, 2015}} At Harvard, she majored in American history and graduated magna cum laude.Patricia Clifford. "Family Celebrates Welker's Career Move." Philadelphia Tribune, August 31, 2010, p. 8B. Welker also interned for Today in 1997, while at Harvard.{{cite web |last1=Stump |first1=Scott |title=Once a TODAY Intern, Kristen Welker Now Anchors Weekend TODAY |url=https://www.nbcboston.com/entertainment/entertainment-news/once-a-today-intern-kristen-welker-now-anchors-weekend-today/2060729/ |website=NBC Boston |date=January 11, 2020 |accessdate=January 17, 2020}}
Career
File:Kristen Welker by Gage Skidmore.jpg
Welker has worked at ABC affiliates WLNE-TV in Providence, Rhode Island, and KRCR-TV in Redding/Chico, California, and joined NBC in 2005 at affiliate WCAU in Philadelphia, where she was a reporter and weekend anchor. She then joined NBC News in 2010 as a correspondent based at the NBC News West Coast Headquarters in Burbank, California. She became an NBC White House correspondent in December 2011.
Welker regularly represented MSNBC at the daily White House press briefings as well as reported live for various programs on the channel. She occasionally filled in on NBC Nightly News and Today. On January 10, 2020, NBC announced that Welker would become the regular co-anchor of Weekend Today alongside Peter Alexander. She debuted as co-anchor on Weekend Today on January 11, 2020.{{cite web |last1=Corinthios |first1=Aurelie |title=Kristen Welker to Co-Anchor NBC's Weekend Today: 'So Proud of You,' Says Savannah Guthrie |url=https://people.com/tv/kristen-welker-announced-co-anchor-nbc-weekend-today/ |website=PEOPLE.com |language=en}}
On October 22, 2020, amidst the ongoing COVID pandemic emergency, Kristen Welker hosted the final debate in the 2020 presidential election between incumbent Republican president Donald Trump and his challenger, former vice president Joe Biden.{{cite web | title=The 'obvious' winner of the final debate: moderator Kristen Welker | url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/oct/22/us-presidential-debate-kristen-welker-moderator | website=TheGuardian.com | last1=Benwell | first1=Max| date=October 23, 2020 }}
On June 4, 2023, it was announced by NBC that Welker had been named to succeed Chuck Todd as anchor of their Sunday morning program, Meet the Press, starting on September 17, 2023, and its weekday spin-off Meet the Press Now on NBC News NOW starting on September 22, 2023.{{Cite web |last=Arkin |first=Daniel |date=2023-06-04 |title=Chuck Todd will depart 'Meet the Press.' Kristen Welker will be the next host |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/chuck-todd-will-depart-nbcs-meet-press-kristen-welker-become-host-rcna87618 |access-date=2023-06-04 |website=NBC News |language=en}}{{failed verification|date=June 2024|reason=neither date is given in the article}}
On her debut show as host, she interviewed former U.S President Donald Trump.{{Cite web |date=2023-09-17 |title=Full transcript: Read Kristen Welker's interview with Trump |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/meet-the-press/transcripts/full-transcript-read-meet-the-press-kristen-welker-interview-trump-rcna104778 |access-date=2024-02-08 |website=NBC News |language=en}} The interview received some criticism because some felt Welker did not challenge Trump's alleged falsehoods enough and that Trump shouldn't have been given a platform to spread his views on the 2020 election and other topics.{{Cite web |last=Jones |first=Tom |date=2023-09-18 |title=Kristen Welker's controversial debut as "Meet the Press" moderator |url=https://www.poynter.org/commentary/2023/opinion-kristen-welker-donald-trump-interview-controversial-debut-as-meet-the-press-moderator/ |access-date=2024-02-08 |website=Poynter |language=en-US}}
On November 8, 2023, she co-moderated the third 2024 GOP primary debate alongside Lester Holt and Hugh Hewitt in Miami, Florida. Presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy started off by calling her a member of the "corrupt media establishment" and accusing her of pushing "the Trump–Russia collusion hoax". Welker grinned and ignored the attack and Holt moved on.{{Cite web |title=GOP debate: Vivek Ramaswamy attacks NBC's Kristen Welker, other moderators |url=https://www.usatoday.com/videos/news/politics/2023/11/08/gop-debate-vivek-ramaswamy-attacks-nbcs-kristen-welker-news-media/71511608007/ |access-date=2024-02-08 |website=USA TODAY |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2023-11-09 |title=Vivek Ramaswamy Kicks Off Debate by Trashing NBC Moderators and Turning the Tables: 'Answer the Question' |url=https://www.mediaite.com/politics/vivek-ramaswamy-kicks-off-debate-by-trashing-nbc-moderators-and-turning-the-tables-answer-the-question/ |access-date=2024-02-08 |website=Mediaite |language=en}}
Personal life
Welker married John Hughes on March 4, 2017, in Philadelphia.{{Cite web | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/10/fashion/weddings/for-nbcs-kristen-welker-love-took-its-time.html | work=The New York Times | title=For NBC's Kristen Welker, Love Took Its Time | first=Brooke Lea | last=Foster | date=March 10, 2017 | access-date=April 28, 2017}} Their daughter was born on June 12, 2021 through a surrogate.{{Cite web |title=NBC News' Kristen Welker shares her baby's birth story with Hoda |url=https://www.today.com/parents/kristen-welker-shares-her-baby-s-birth-story-hoda-kotb-t232378 |access-date=June 14, 2022 |website=TODAY.com |date=September 27, 2021 |language=en}} A son was later born via surrogate on May 30, 2024.{{cn|date=June 2024}}
References
{{reflist|30em}}
External links
- [https://www.nbcnews.com/author/kristen-welker-ncpn6396 NBC's Bio of Kristen Welker]
- {{C-SPAN|107682}}
{{NBC News Personalities}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Welker, Kristen}}
Category:African-American television personalities
Category:African-American women journalists
Category:African-American journalists
Category:American television reporters and correspondents
Category:American women television journalists
Category:Germantown Friends School alumni
Category:Harvard College alumni