Celebrity

Savannah Guthrie: From Courtroom Lawyer to the Anchor Chair of NBC’s Today Show

Who is Savannah Guthrie at the Today show anchor desk in July 2012

Who is Savannah Guthrie? She is the American broadcast journalist who has co-anchored NBC’s Today show since July 2012. Before the anchor chair, she worked as a lawyer and a White House correspondent. Today, millions of viewers start their mornings with her calm voice and sharp questions.

If you have ever asked who is Savannah Guthrie, this guide has the full answer. You will find her early life, her law career, her rise at NBC and her family. It also covers the hard year her family has faced since early 2026. Every fact here comes from trusted news sources, and nothing is guessed.

At a Glance

Full name Savannah Clark Guthrie
Born 27 December 1971, Melbourne, Australia
Age 54
Job Co-anchor of NBC’s Today show since July 2012
Before Today Lawyer, Court TV correspondent, White House correspondent
Education University of Arizona; Georgetown Law, JD 2002
Family Married to Michael Feldman since 2014; two children, Vale and Charley
Known for Sharp interviews, election coverage, Macy’s parade hosting

Who Is Savannah Guthrie?

Who is Savannah Guthrie - portrait of the Today show co-anchor

Savannah Guthrie is an Australian-born American journalist and former lawyer who co-anchors NBC’s Today show. She took the anchor chair in July 2012 and still holds it today. Her legal training shapes her interview style, and viewers know her for calm, firm questions.

Her path to the top was far from straight. She started in small local newsrooms, then left TV to study law. She practised as a lawyer for a short spell before news pulled her back. Each step added a skill she still uses on air today.

Guthrie also writes children’s books and speaks openly about faith and family. She keeps her private life quiet, yet she shares warm glimpses with fans. Her story shows how grit and patience can build a lasting career. The sections below trace that story step by step.

Early Life: Born in Australia, Raised in Tucson

Savannah Clark Guthrie was born on 27 December 1971 in Melbourne, Australia. Her father worked as a mining engineer and the family lived there for his job. When Savannah was two, the family moved to Tucson, Arizona. She grew up there with her siblings in a close, faith-filled home.

Tucson shaped her far more than Melbourne did. She went to school there and built her first friendships in the desert city. Her father died when she was 16, a loss she has called shattering. Her mum held the family close, and Savannah stayed near home through her first degree.

The family trip back to Australia in 2015 gave viewers a rare treat. Savannah took the Today cameras to the street where she was born. She spoke about her roots with warmth and a little humour.

Education: A Journalism Degree, Then Law School

Guthrie studied journalism at the University of Arizona. She graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in 1993. She stayed close to home in part so she and her sister could support their mum.

After a few years on air, she made a bold switch. She enrolled at Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, DC. She graduated magna cum laude with a law degree in 2002. That same year she earned the top score on the Arizona bar exam.

Georgetown later honoured her with an honorary Doctorate of Law in 2023. The award praised her reporting on legal and justice issues. Few TV hosts hold a law degree, and fewer still topped a bar exam. Her legal mind shows in every tough interview she leads.

Before Today: Local News, the Courtroom and Court TV

Her first TV job came in October 1993 at KTVM in Butte, Montana. The station closed its news operation just ten days later. She moved on to KVOA in her home town of Tucson. Then she joined WRC in Washington, DC, as a freelance reporter.

At WRC she covered the 11 September 2001 attacks and the anthrax cases that followed. The work tested her nerve and her news sense. She then chose law school over a steady TV career. It was a gamble that later paid off in full.

After law school she practised at Akin Gump in Washington from 2002 to 2003. She worked on white-collar criminal defence cases. In 2004 she joined Court TV as a legal affairs correspondent. She covered big trials there, including the Michael Jackson case.

The Today Show Years

Savannah Guthrie interviewing Barack Obama at the White House in 2015

She returned to NBC as a legal correspondent in 2007. She soon served as White House correspondent from 2008 to 2011. She covered the 2008 election and reported on Sarah Palin’s campaign trail. She also co-anchored MSNBC’s The Daily Rundown in 2010 and 2011.

She joined Today in 2011 as co-host of the third hour. In July 2012 she became a main co-anchor, taking over from Ann Curry. Her first day beside Matt Lauer came on 9 July 2012. She has held the chair since, through many changes in the line-up.

Her co-anchor partners have changed over the years. Matt Lauer left in 2017, and Hoda Kotb joined her soon after. Kotb left in 2025, and Craig Melvin took the chair in January 2025. Anyone who asks who is Savannah Guthrie finds the answer in her long run at Today.

Big Interviews and Historic Moments

Savannah Guthrie interviewing Joe Biden in 2016 for NBC News

Guthrie has led coverage of some huge news events. She anchored election nights, Olympic broadcasts and breaking news specials. She also co-hosts the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade each year. Her calm style suits live TV, where scripts often go out the window.

Her 2020 town hall with then President Donald Trump drew wide praise. She pressed him with firm, detailed questions and held her ground. Many viewers linked her style to her legal training. The night showed why a lawyer’s questions can cut through spin.

  • 2012: became a main co-anchor of Today, in the year the show won a Daytime Emmy.
  • 2017: announced Matt Lauer’s dismissal live on air with Hoda Kotb.
  • 2018: named one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people.
  • 2020: moderated the NBC town hall with President Donald Trump.
  • 2026: anchored midterm election night coverage with Craig Melvin on 3 and 4 November.

She has also interviewed presidents, stars and sports heroes. Her guest list spans Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and top Hollywood names. That care is why guests and viewers both trust her.

Books, Family and Life Away From the Desk

Away from the studio, Guthrie writes children’s books. She co-wrote Princesses Wear Pants and Princesses Save the World with Allison Oppenheim. The books cheer young readers to be bold and kind. They show a softer side of a hard-news anchor.

She married communications consultant Michael Feldman in March 2014. The couple have two children, daughter Vale and son Charley. She was married before, to Mark Orchard, from 2005 to 2009. Family time matters to her, and she guards it well.

KeyJournal follows TV stars and their big days in our Celebrity archive. Our Stephanie Ruhle New York City Marathon piece follows another anchor beyond the desk. Film fans can also read our Neve Campbell Scream 8 story for a star’s next chapter.

Her Mother Nancy and the Search That Continues

In early February 2026, her mother Nancy Guthrie went missing from home. The 84-year-old failed to turn up for a Sunday church service near Tucson. Police said the scene showed she had likely been taken against her will. The FBI and Pima County Sheriff’s Office have led the case as a kidnapping since.

Savannah stepped away from Today to be with her family. She also gave up her planned Winter Olympics hosting duties in Milan. She returned to the anchor desk on 6 April 2026.

The search has stayed active through 2026 with no firm answers yet. On 1 November she shared a fresh public appeal. It carried a drawing by her daughter Vale with a loving note. More than $1 million in reward money has been offered for news of her safe return.

Where Is Savannah Guthrie Now?

Guthrie still co-anchors Today beside Craig Melvin each weekday morning. She will also host NBC’s new Wordle game show, announced in May 2026. Her full career record is listed on Wikipedia for readers who want each date.

She remains one of the most trusted faces on US morning TV. Her latest big night came on 3 and 4 November 2026. She led NBC’s midterm election coverage deep into the night with Melvin. The pair then hosted the next morning’s Today show on little sleep.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Savannah Guthrie a lawyer?

Yes. She earned her law degree from Georgetown in 2002 and graduated magna cum laude. She practised white-collar criminal defence at Akin Gump in Washington for about a year. She then left law to return to TV news. Her legal mind still shapes her interviews.

When did Savannah Guthrie become a Today show co-anchor?

She joined Today in 2011 as co-host of the third hour. She became a main co-anchor in July 2012, taking over from Ann Curry. She has held the chair since, working with Matt Lauer, Hoda Kotb and now Craig Melvin.

How old is Savannah Guthrie?

She was born on 27 December 1971 in Melbourne, Australia. That makes her 54 years old in November 2026. She moved to Tucson, Arizona, at the age of two and grew up there.

Who is Savannah Guthrie’s husband?

She has been married to communications consultant Michael Feldman since March 2014. The couple have two children, daughter Vale and son Charley. She was married before to Mark Orchard, and that marriage ended in 2009.

What happened to Savannah Guthrie’s mother?

Her mother, Nancy Guthrie, went missing from her Tucson home in early February 2026. Police and the FBI have treated the case as a kidnapping, and the search stays active. Savannah has made fresh public appeals for news, most recently on 1 November 2026.

Why Mornings Still Start With Savannah Guthrie

So, who is Savannah Guthrie? She is a lawyer turned anchor who still shows up each morning. She left TV, learned the law, then came back stronger. She now guides America through elections, parades and hard news alike.

Her calm voice has become part of the morning for millions. Browse our Celebrity archive for profiles, guides and behind the scenes reads. Each one is written in the same plain style.

Morning TV rewards trust, and Guthrie has earned it over time. Readers who enjoy star stories can start with our guide on how to become famous. Our profile of who is Nara Smith sits in the same Celebrity cluster.

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