Karen Travers (journalist)

Last updated
Karen Travers
Born1978 (47–48)
Blue Bell, Pennsylvania
Alma mater Georgetown University
OccupationJournalist
Years active2000–present
Employer ABC News
Board member of White House Correspondents' Association
Awards

Karen Travers (b. 1978) is an American journalist. She is currently working at ABC News as a correspondent based in Washington, D.C.. A board member of the White House Correspondents' Association, she covers national political news, including two presidential elections and the Bush, Obama, Biden, and Trump administrations.

Contents

Early life and education

Travers was born in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, to Bernadette M. and William J. Travers. [1] She graduated from Mount Saint Joseph Academy in 1996, [2] where she competed on the swim team. [3] She went on to graduate from Georgetown University with a Bachelor's degree in American government and a master's degree in liberal studies. [4]

Career

Travers initially sought a career in politics. After interning for Michael Castle, a U.S. representative for Delaware in the Republican Party, [5] she switched her focus to journalism, joining ABC News in 2000. Starting as an intern working as Ted Koppel's researcher for Nightline, Travers reported on stories including the September 11 attacks, the Iraq War, and other national and international stories. [4]

At ABC News she worked as a White House producer, Deputy Political Director and White House Reporter, before being promoted to correspondent based in Washington, D.C. in 2011, covering national political news for ABC News Radio. [5] She led coverage of the 2012 and 2016 presidential debates and campaigns, [6] including the Bush, Obama, Biden, and Trump administrations. [7] She reported live from the Democratic and Republican conventions, all general election debates, [4] five presidential campaigns, four administrations, traveling to 49 states with each president, and more than 60 countries. [4] She reported from every important battleground state in each election, particularly caucuses and primaries in every Republican and Democratic convention, along with presidential debates for every election cycle from 2004. [4] She led coverage of the 2013 government shutdown, [8] the health care law implementation, and the Washington Navy Yard shooting. [9]

In 2015, Travers was promoted to multi-platform reporter of ABC News. [10] She covered the 2015 Philadelphia train derailment, the Ferguson unrest in three states, and key Supreme Court decisions. [4]

Awards and recognition

Travers is on the board of the White House Correspondents' Association. [11] She was on the team that received an Emmy Award as deputy political director for ABC's coverage of the First inauguration of Barack Obama in 2009. [4] [7] She won two Edward R. Murrow Awards in 2021 for her report "COVID-19: President Trump Tests Positive", [7] [12] and is the recipient of a Gracie Award from the Alliance for Women in Media. [7]

Personal life

Travers is married to John Anderson, [13] an investment policy analyst for the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development. [1] They have three children together. [5]

References

  1. 1 2 Gates, Kellie Patrick (October 26, 2011). "Love: Karen Travers & John Anderson" . The Philadelphia Inquirer . Retrieved January 8, 2026.
  2. ↑ "Home > Community > News > Karen Travers". Mount Saint Joseph Academy . Retrieved January 7, 2026. Karen Travers ('96) reported a segment for ABC News that examined the challenges schools are facing, and what some are doing to address children's mental health upon returning to school amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
  3. ↑ Meyers, Tim (December 10, 1995). "Crusaders Out to Improve; Depth Helps Chiefs" . The Daily Intelligencer . Retrieved January 7, 2026. Melissa Shannon and Karen Conn will swim the freestyle events while Karen Travers (breaststroke) and Charity Karr (backstroke) take care of their events.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Karen Travers (C '00, MA '03) Institute of Politics and Public Service". Georgetown University Institute of Politics and Public Service.
  5. 1 2 3 Becenti, Kaitlin (March 20, 2023). "From Capitol Hill Intern to White House Correspondent – How ABC's Karen Travers Caught the 'Journalism Bug'". USC Annenberg Media . University of Southern California . Retrieved January 8, 2026.
  6. ↑ "Presidential Debate 2012: Full Recap". YouTube. October 3, 2012.
  7. 1 2 3 4 "Karen Travers - ABC News". ABC News . April 28, 2022. Retrieved January 8, 2026.
  8. ↑ "Government shutdown continues for second day". Yahoo News. October 2, 2013.[ permanent dead link ]
  9. ↑ "Multiple deaths in Washington DC Navy Yard shooting". Yahoo News. September 16, 2013.[ permanent dead link ]
  10. ↑ "Karen Travers, Mary Bruce, and Stephanie Ramos become multiplatform reporters for ABC News". ABC News. April 23, 2015.
  11. ↑ "Karen Travers White House Correspondents' Association (WHCA)". White House Correspondents' Association.
  12. ↑ "Edward R. Murrow Awards 2021". rtdna.org. Radio Television Digital News Association. Archived from the original on October 30, 2021. Retrieved January 8, 2026.
  13. ↑ "Karen Travers, John Anderson" . The New York Times . September 9, 2011. Retrieved January 8, 2026.
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