Hoda Kotb

Her father, Abdel Kader Kotb (1932–1985) was a fossil energy specialist and was listed in the Who's Who of Technology.

Hoda Kotb (هدى قطب, Hudā Quṭb; ; born August 9, 1964) is an American broadcast journalist, television personality, and author.

She is a main co-anchor of the NBC News morning show Today and co-host of its entertainment-focused fourth hour.

Kotb formerly served as a correspondent for the television news magazine program Dateline NBC.

Kotb was born to Egyptian Muslim parents in Norman, Oklahoma, and grew up in Morgantown, West Virginia, and Alexandria, Virginia.

She graduated from Fort Hunt High School in 1982.

She was elected homecoming queen and selected to speak at her graduating class's baccalaureate service.

In her college years at Virginia Tech, Kotb was a member of Delta Delta Delta women's sorority, Beta Nu Chapter.

He died at the age of 52 in 1985.

In 1986, Kotb graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in broadcast journalism.

Kotb then moved to ABC affiliate WQAD in Moline, Illinois as a reporter from 1988 to 1989.

She became a weekend anchor and reporter at CBS affiliate WINK in Fort Myers, Florida from 1989 to 1991.

She lived in New Orleans throughout the 1990s.

Kotb and her family lived in Egypt for a year, as well as in Nigeria.

She has a brother, Adel, and a sister, Hala.

Her mother, Sameha ("Sami"), worked at the Library of Congress.

During a 92nd Street Y interview, Kotb hinted at her Muslim roots when she recounted her memories of annual summer vacations in Egypt and her veiled cousins and how her parents' migration to the United States had spared her from having to do the same:

"We met our cousins who looked just like us. Some of them had the head cover on. I still remember going, 'Oh, my God. Like that could have been me.' You don't realize the gift your parents give you when you leave."

Kotb similarly indirectly spoke about her family's Muslim background in her autobiography when she described attempts at match-making by her relatives in Egypt:

"During my visit, I'd be sitting on the couch and there'd come a knock-knock at the door. 'Hoda, someone's at the door for yooooouuuu ... ' Oh, Lord. 'This is Mohamed. He's from Cairo. He's studying engineering ... and he has a Mercedes.' Really? He also has on a long white man dress. Okay, call it a dishdash."

From 1992 to 1998, Kotb was an anchor and reporter for CBS affiliate WWL in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Kotb officially joined NBC News in April 1998 as a correspondent for Dateline NBC and all NBC News platforms.

She was the first host of Today 's first fourth-hour weekday morning broadcast at 10:00 a.m. in September 2007 and was joined by Kathie Lee Gifford as a co-host in April 2008.

Kotb was the keynote speaker at her alma mater for the 2008 Virginia Tech graduation and in her speech, played Metallica's "Enter Sandman" over her iPod.

In 2010, Kotb was elected to a three-year term to the Virginia Tech Alumni Association Board of Directors.

Kotb's first on-air job after college was at then-CBS affiliate WXVT in Greenville, Mississippi.

In October 2010, Kotb released a New York Times bestselling autobiography, Hoda: How I Survived War Zones, Bad Hair, Cancer, and Kathie Lee.

In 2011, Martina McBride asked Kotb to be featured in her music video for "I'm Gonna Love You Through It," a ballad dedicated to cancer survivors.

On January 15, 2013, she released her second book, Ten Years Later: Six People Who Faced Adversity and Transformed Their Lives, in which she chronicles six stories by identifying a life-changing event in each subject's life and then revisiting each of those six people a decade later.

On February 23, 2015, Kotb began hosting a live, one-hour show twice a week on Sirius XM's Today channel, discussing casual, water cooler topics.

In 2016, Kotb released her third book, Where They Belong: The Best Decisions People Almost Never Made, which features a selection of various stories of inspiring people who "found themselves" in completely unexpected moments or unforeseen circumstances.

She and Guthrie had been interim co-anchors since Lauer's termination on November 29, 2017.

They make up the first female anchor duo to lead the show.

On January 2, 2018, Kotb was named co-anchor of Today with Savannah Guthrie after anchor Matt Lauer was terminated by NBC News following accusations of sexual misconduct.

The first one, her fourth book overall, I've Loved You Since Forever, was released in 2018, and was adapted into a lullaby by Kelly Clarkson.

Gifford was later succeeded by Jenna Bush Hager in April 2019, following Gifford's departure from the show.

In October 2019, Kotb released her sixth book, I Really Needed This Today, which includes personal notes about her experiences and relationships, an assortment of quotes, and 365 sayings that she hopes inspires and uplifts readers.

Her second children's book, her fifth book overall, You Are My Happy, which celebrates the things in life that bring gratitude, was released in March 2019.

She released a follow-up in October 2020 titled This Just Speaks to Me, which expands on her daily reflections and includes additional personal anecdotes and quotes.

Kotb has also released her own children's books.