Hoda Kotb 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.
Below are 10 things women should know about Hoda Kotb:
1. Hoda Kotb was born on August 9, 1964 in Norman, Oklahoma and grew up in Morgantown West Virginia and Alexandria, Virginia. She lived in New Orleans throughout the 1990s.
2. Kotb’s parents are from Egypt. 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. Her father Abdel Kader Kotb was a fossil energy specialist and was listed in the Who’s Who of Technology. He died at the age of 51 in 1986.
3. 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.
4. In 1986, Kotb graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in broadcast journalism. 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.
5. In 2010, Kotb was elected to a three-year term to the Virginia Tech Alumni Association Board of Directors.
6. In 2005, Kotb married former University of New Orleans tennis coach, Burzis Kanga. The marriage ended in divorce in 2008.
7. Kotb began a relationship with New York financier Joel Schiffman in 2013. On November 25, 2019, Kotb announced live on Today that she was engaged to Schiffman. On January 31, 2022, Kotb announced during the fourth hour of Today (Hoda & Jenna) that she and Schiffman had ended their engagement and would focus on co-parenting as friends.
8. On February 21, 2017, Kotb announced on Today that she had adopted a baby girl named Haley Joy Kotb. On April 16, 2019, Kotb came on Today via phone to announce she had adopted a second baby girl named Hope Catherine Kotb.
9. In March 2007, Kotb underwent a mastectomy and reconstructive surgery for breast cancer and has since become an advocate for breast cancer awareness. Kotb allowed Today cameras to follow her throughout her cancer battle. After she was declared cancer free, she has continued to document and use the story on the show to raise awareness for breast cancer.
10. Hoda Kotb officially joined NBC News in April 1998 as a correspondent for Dateline NBC and all NBC News platforms.