Norah Morahan O’Donnell was born on January 23, 1974, in Washington, D.C. She is an American television journalist who anchored the CBS Evening News from 2019 to January 2025.
She covered eight presidential elections and became the first American journalist to interview Pope Francis for a major network broadcast.
Who is Norah O’Donnell?
Norah O’Donnell is a senior correspondent for CBS News, a contributing correspondent for 60 Minutes, and host of the Person to Person interview program on CBS News 24/7.
She spent more than five years as anchor and managing editor of the CBS Evening News before stepping down in January 2025.
Her career spans nearly three decades of television and print journalism. O’Donnell has reported from aircraft carriers, the U.S.-Mexico border, the Middle East, and presidential campaigns across the country.
She is also the New York Times bestselling author of “We the Women: The Hidden Heroes Who Shaped America,” published February 24, 2026. In July 2026, she launched “Healthful,” a weekly women’s health podcast on CBS News.
O’Donnell has interviewed every living president of the United States, including the late former President Jimmy Carter.
She is the only Western television journalist to have interviewed Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman twice, in 2018 and 2019.
Her May 2024 sit-down with Pope Francis in Vatican City made her the first American journalist to conduct such a papal interview for a national broadcast. The Pope’s comments on surrogacy, gay marriage, and female priests drew global attention.
Early Life of Norah O’Donnell
Norah O’Donnell was born to Francis Lawrence O’Donnell, a U.S. Army doctor and officer, and Noreen Bernadette O’Kane. Both her parents are of Irish descent, with roots in Derry, Belfast, and Donegal.
Her grandparents were Irish immigrants, and her grandmother lived in the United States without legal status for 16 years.
When Norah was three years old, the family moved to San Antonio, Texas. Her father’s military assignments brought the family to Seoul, South Korea, starting when she was ten, where they lived in Yongsan Garrison for two years.
While an elementary student in Seoul, she gave videotaped English lessons for the Korean Educational Development Institute. That early on-camera experience launched her interest in broadcasting.
After the family returned to San Antonio, she attended Douglas MacArthur High School, graduating in 1991. She has a brother named Francis O’Donnell and a sister named Mary O’Donnell.
Norah O’Donnell Age
Norah O’Donnell is 52 years old as of 2026, born on January 23, 1974. Her zodiac sign is Aquarius. She stepped down from the CBS Evening News anchor chair on January 23, 2025, the same day as her 51st birthday.
O’Donnell has a height of 5 ft. 8 inches or 172 cm. Her body weight is around 55 kg or 121.2 lbs.
Furthermore, she has blue eyes and brown hair. Moreover, her body measurements are 34-30-38 inches.
Norah O’Donnell Ethnicity and Nationality
O’Donnell is an American national, born in Washington, D.C. She is of Irish ethnicity on both sides of her family, with grandparents who immigrated from Ireland.
Her heritage spans both sides of the Irish border, drawing from Derry, Donegal, and Belfast.
Norah O’Donnell Education
O’Donnell attended Georgetown University, one of the most respected universities in the United States. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in philosophy in 1995.
She later returned to Georgetown for advanced study. In 2003, she completed a Master of Arts degree in liberal studies at the same institution.
Georgetown also shaped her personal life in a lasting way: she met her husband, Geoff Tracy, while studying there. O’Donnell has publicly called attending Georgetown the best decision she ever made.
Norah O’Donnell Career
Norah O’Donnell built her career over nearly three decades, starting in print journalism and moving through some of the most prominent roles in American broadcast news.
Early Career
O’Donnell began as a staff writer for Roll Call, the Capitol Hill-focused newspaper, covering Congress. That print foundation gave her early depth in political reporting before she transitioned to television.
She then joined NBC News, where she held major positions over more than a decade. Her roles included White House correspondent, Chief Washington Correspondent for MSNBC, and commentator on the Today Show. She also contributed to NBC Nightly News and Dateline NBC.
During that period, she reported live during the September 11, 2001 attacks. Her Dateline NBC story “DC In Crisis,” which aired that night, earned her the Sigma Delta Chi Award for Breaking News Coverage. That recognition established her as a trusted Washington correspondent.
Major Positions Held
In 2011, O’Donnell joined CBS News as Chief White House Correspondent, covering the Obama administration. Within a year, CBS moved her into a new and more prominent role at the network.
Starting in 2012, she co-anchored CBS This Morning, a position she held through 2019. During those years at the morning broadcast, she pursued investigative journalism alongside daily news coverage.
A six-month investigation into sexual assault at the Air Force Academy earned her an Emmy Award in 2018 for Outstanding Investigative Report in a Newscast.
In 2019, CBS named O’Donnell anchor and managing editor of the CBS Evening News. She became only the third woman to hold that anchor role at a major American network evening broadcast, following Connie Chung and Katie Couric. She also became the only network evening news anchor based in Washington, D.C.
Current Role
O’Donnell anchored the CBS Evening News through the 2024 presidential election, then stepped down on January 23, 2025. Since that transition, she has continued with CBS News as a senior correspondent and contributing writer for 60 Minutes.
She also hosts Person to Person on CBS News 24/7, a program focused on interviews that go beyond breaking news. In February 2026, she published “We the Women: The Hidden Heroes Who Shaped America,” co-written with Kate Andersen Brower, which reached the New York Times bestseller list.
On July 22, 2026, O’Donnell launched “Healthful with Norah O’Donnell,” a weekly podcast on CBS News. The show features conversations with doctors and researchers on topics including menopause, reproductive health, cancer, and the gut microbiome.
Each episode includes a recurring segment called “Turning the Tables,” in which guests ask O’Donnell about her own health habits and wellness routine.
Norah O’Donnell Notable Coverage
O’Donnell anchored for nine straight hours during the January 6, 2021 assault on the U.S. Capitol. CBS News received Emmy nominations for its live breaking news coverage of that event, which O’Donnell led from the anchor desk.
In September 2019, O’Donnell interviewed Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for his first interview following the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
That sit-down followed her earlier 2018 60 Minutes interview with the Crown Prince, making her the only Western television journalist to have spoken with him twice.
Her reporting has also taken her to migrant detention centers on the U.S.-Mexico border, aircraft carriers at sea, and presidential campaigns in states across the country.
She launched a veterans-focused series on CBS Evening News called “Profiles in Service,” which highlighted military members and community contributors across the United States.
Washingtonian magazine named her Journalist of the Year in 2019 during her first year as anchor of the CBS Evening News.
Norah O’Donnell Awards and Recognition
O’Donnell has received virtually every major recognition in American broadcast journalism. Her Emmy Awards include wins for NBC’s 2008 election night coverage and for her 2018 investigation into sexual assault at the Air Force Academy.
The CBS Evening News team earned an Edward R. Murrow Award for Best Newscast in 2020 for its on-the-ground reporting from the U.S.-Mexico border.
In 2021, O’Donnell received the Sol Taishoff Award for Broadcast Journalism from the National Press Foundation for her leadership that year.
She also received the Sigma Delta Chi Award twice: once for her 9/11 reporting and again for CBS coverage of George Floyd. The CBS News team received the Alfred I. duPont-Columbia Award for coverage of the 2012 Newtown school massacre.
Multiple Gracie Awards recognized her over the years. She received Best On-Air Talent in 2025, Outstanding News Anchor in 2020, and Best National News On-Air Talent in both 2016 and 2018.
The Merriman Smith Memorial Award recognized her presidential reporting. Washingtonian magazine also included her among its 100 Most Powerful Women in 2015.
Norah O’Donnell Books
O’Donnell published “We the Women: The Hidden Heroes Who Shaped America” on February 24, 2026. She co-wrote the book with journalist Kate Andersen Brower.
The book reached the New York Times bestseller list and profiles unsung American women from 1776 through today who shaped the country’s history.
The project connected to O’Donnell’s broader focus on women’s stories throughout her reporting career. She has described the book as a complement to her journalism work and to the “Healthful” podcast she launched in July 2026.
Norah O’Donnell Husband
Norah O’Donnell met Geoff Tracy while both studied at Georgetown University. The couple married in 1997. Tracy operates restaurants in the Washington, D.C. area and goes by Chef Geoff professionally.
He also authored the cookbook “Baby Love: Healthy, Easy, Delicious Meals for Your Baby and Toddler.” O’Donnell has spoken publicly about Tracy’s support throughout her career, calling him her number one supporter.
Norah O’Donnell Children
O’Donnell and Geoff Tracy have three children. Their twins, Grace Tracy and Henry Tracy, arrived first. Their third child, daughter Riley Norah Tracy, was born on July 5, 2008.
The family lives in Washington, D.C., where O’Donnell has been based throughout her CBS News career. Tracy’s restaurant work is also centered in the D.C. area, keeping the family rooted in the city.
Norah O’Donnell Net Worth
Norah O’Donnell’s estimated net worth is $22 million as of 2026. Her annual salary at CBS News has been reported at $8 million, placing her among the highest-paid television journalists in the United States.
Her income comes from her long-term CBS News contract, which covers her roles as senior correspondent, 60 Minutes contributor, podcast host, and Person to Person anchor.
Book deal earnings from the New York Times bestseller “We the Women” and from earlier projects also contribute. Her career at NBC News, which lasted more than a decade before her CBS move in 2011, built the foundation for her long-term financial profile.
Norah O’Donnell Social Media
O’Donnell is active on X (formerly Twitter) at @NorahODonnell. Her bio on the platform lists her as a CBS News correspondent, 60 Minutes journalist, Healthful Podcast host, and bestselling author.
She uses the account to share updates from her reporting, book tour appearances, and podcast launch.
She also maintains an Instagram presence where she posts professional updates and personal moments. Her social media activity grew alongside her CBS Evening News years and has continued through her transition to the senior correspondent role.
The Bottom Line
O’Donnell’s May 2024 interview with Pope Francis in Vatican City for 60 Minutes made her the first American journalist to conduct such an interview, with the Pope’s remarks on surrogacy and gay marriage generating global headlines. She anchored the CBS Evening News for more than five years before stepping down on January 23, 2025.
Her book “We the Women,” co-written with Kate Andersen Brower and published in February 2026, reached the New York Times bestseller list and celebrates unsung women in American history.
She and husband Geoff Tracy, whom she met at Georgetown University, have raised three children together in Washington, D.C.
As of July 2026, O’Donnell hosts the weekly “Healthful” podcast on CBS News while continuing her work as a 60 Minutes correspondent. We hope you enjoyed reading about Norah. Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below!