Elizabeth Vargas Biography
Elizabeth Vargas is an American anchor and reporter working for NEWS NATION as a weeknight anchor for the “Elizabeth Vargas Reports,” at 6p/5C. She joined the NEWS NATION news team in January 2023, after previously working for ABC NEWS.
Elizabeth Vargas Career
Vargas completed her high school education in Heidelberg, graduating from an American high school, where she discovered her passion for journalism. Subsequently, she pursued her academic journey at the University of Missouri in Columbia, enrolling in 1980. In 1984, she earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism. During her time at the university, she actively contributed as a student reporter at KOMU-TV and served as a student editor at KBIA. Her competence in journalism did not go unnoticed, with former advisors praising her skills. Rod Gelatt, the former news director at KOMU, highlighted that she was the first student to substitute for him as the moderator of the station’s Missouri Forum public affairs program. Kent Collins, the chairman of the university’s journalism faculty, recalled her as having an “aggressive and energetic” work ethic.
Following her college graduation, she began her career at KTVN, the CBS affiliate in Reno. She later relocated to Phoenix, where she assumed the role of a lead reporter for KTVK-TV, then an ABC affiliate. After spending three years in Phoenix, she made a move to Chicago, joining the CBS station WBBM-TV. Phyllis McGrady, a senior vice president at ABC, praised Vargas for her versatility. Later, she concluded her tenure at WBBM-TV in 1993. In 1993, she became a correspondent for NBC News, initially contributing to “Now with Tom Brokaw and Katie Couric.” She later transitioned to become a correspondent primarily for “Dateline NBC.” Additionally, she took on roles as a substitute anchor for “Today” and the weekend editions of “NBC Nightly News.”
In June 1996, Elizabeth Vargas joined ABC News’ Good Morning America as the newsreader and was considered Joan Lunden’s likely successor. She was later promoted to a prime-time magazine show correspondent, succeeded by Kevin Newman as newsreader in June 1997. In 2002, Vargas became one of the anchors of 20/20 Downtown, later rebranded Downtown before becoming Primetime Monday in 2003 before its eventual end. She occasionally reported for Primetime and was named anchor of World News Tonight Saturday. In November 2003, she became the anchor of World News Tonight Sunday, and in May 2004, she was named co-anchor of 20/20. Vargas made history as the first national evening news anchor of Puerto Rican and Irish-American heritage. Additionally, she was also the third female anchor of a network evening newscast in the U.S., following Connie Chung and Barbara Walters.
Known for her thought-provoking reporting, she questioned the media’s coverage of the Laci Peterson case and explored religious debates, such as the role of Mary Magdalene. She won an Emmy Award in 1999 for her coverage of the Elián González story and received a nomination in 1998 for her 20/20 investigation into the wrongful conviction of Betty Tyson. In April 2005, she along with Charles Gibson, temporarily filled in for Peter Jennings on World News Tonight during his chemotherapy treatment. Later on, she and Bob Woodruff became co-anchors in December 2005. After Woodruff’s injury in Iraq in January 2006, she co-anchored with Charles Gibson or Diane Sawyer. She announced her resignation from World News Tonight on May 23, 2006, citing a difficult pregnancy and the desire to spend more time with her new baby.
Charles Gibson became the sole anchor, and she returned as co-anchor of 20/20 in late 2006. Furthermore, she hosted various ABC News specials and documentaries, including “Elvis: Viva Las Vegas” in 2008. She won a Peabody Award in 2013 for her contributions to ABC News’ coverage of Hurricane Sandy on 20/20. In a special edition of 20/20 in 2016, she opened up about her struggles with anxiety and alcoholism, discussing them further in her book “Between Breaths: A Memoir of Panic and Addiction.” She officially departed ABC on May 25, 2018, following a dedication on 20/20. In April 2018, she signed a first-look and production deal with A&E Originals. As part of the agreement, she became the anchor of the A&E Investigates banner, overseeing new non-fiction prime-time journalism programming. Her first series under A&E Investigates, “Cults & Extreme Belief,” premiered in May 2018.
Subsequently, she introduced another series, “The Untold Story,” in April 2019, focusing on untold stories of influential people and events. In January 2021, it was confirmed that Vargas would host the revival of “America’s Most Wanted” on Fox, which premiered on March 15, 2021. She currently serves as the anchor of News Cafe on A&E’s FYI Network. On September 19, 2022, she guest anchored “NewsNation Prime” during the week until September 23, 2022. Following this, she became the host of a syndicated true crime series titled “iCrime with Elizabeth Vargas.” On January 10, 2023, it was announced that she would host a new show on NewsNation titled “Elizabeth Vargas Reports,” scheduled to premiere on April 3, 2023.
Elizabeth Vargas Salary
Vargas earns an annual salary of about $47,000-$120,000.
Elizabeth Vargas Net Worth
Vargas has an estimated net worth of about $1 Million – $7 Million which she has earned through her career as a investigative reporter.
Elizabeth Vargas Age
Vargas was born on September 6, 1962, in Paterson, New Jersey, United States. She is 62 years old as of 2024, and she celebrates her birthday on the 6th of September every year.
Elizabeth Vargas Height and Weight
Vargas stands at a height of 5 feet 6 inches tall, and she weighs 125 lbs (75kgs).
Elizabeth Vargas Family
Vargas is the daughter of Rafael “Ralf” Vargas who is a U.S. Army colonel with Puerto Rican heritage and Anne Vargas who is of Irish-American descent and works part-time as an English teacher. She has two siblings, Amy and Christopher, who both work in tech in Silicon Valley.
Elizabeth Vargas Husband and Children
Vargas was married to Marc Craig Cohn who is an American singer-songwriter and musician. After having dated for 3 years, they tied the knot on July 20, 2002. Together they have been blessed with two sons whom they named Zach and Sam. Additionally, she is the stepmother to two children from Cohn’s first marriage, Max and Emily. She resides in New York City together with her family.
Elizabeth Vargas Alcoholism
Vargas’s lifelong struggle with alcohol was rooted in anxiety that originated during her childhood. The daily panic attacks began when her father joined the Vietnam War. Early on, she was advised to conceal her anxiety to avoid appearing weak, but this only exacerbated the issue and led to her dependence on alcohol. The turning point came during a family vacation in 2012 when she realized she needed help. Despite seeking treatment in Utah, she left prematurely and experienced a relapse. On November 6, 2013, ABC confirmed reports that she was undergoing treatment for alcoholism in Tennessee. She openly acknowledged her battle with addiction.
After leaving rehab prematurely once again, she quickly realized the mistake and returned for treatment for the third time. Shortly after returning home, she and her husband Marc Cohn divorced. On January 24, 2014, she publicly identified herself as an alcoholic. Over the next few years, she penned “Between Breaths: A Memoir of Panic and Addiction.” Published by Grand Central Publishing on September 13, 2016, the memoir became an instant New York Times and USA Today bestseller. In 2018, NBC News reported that Vargas had been sober since 2014, marking a significant and positive shift in her journey toward recovery.
Elizabeth Vargas NEWS NATION
While working for NEWS NATION Vargas co-works alongside:
- Lelan Vittert
- Adrienne Bankert
- Markie Martin
- Marni Hughes
- Natasha Zouves
