Kristen Welker is a well-known US-based broadcast journalist who is best known for her work at the NBC News Network where she serves in the capacity of a news correspondent. Welker started gaining prominence in 2011 when she was named the official White House correspondent of NBC with a base in Washington. In her capacity, Welker has reported extensively on the second term of former American President Barack Obama’s administration. She continues to hold her positions at NBC and, as of 2017, serves as the White House Correspondent reporting on President Donald J. Trump’s administration.
Welker began her career in journalism soon after her graduation and served with several local broadcast stations in USA. She was first employed by the ABC affiliate WLNE-TV and later served at another ABC affiliate WLNE-TV as a reporter before she returned to WLNE-TV when she was offered the position of a news anchor. Welker also spent four years of her career at the NBC affiliate WCAU-TV, or NBC 10 until she moved to the national NBC Network in 2010.
Early Life and Education
Welker was born on 1 July 1976 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States where she was also raised as the daughter of her parents Julie and Harvey Walker. While her father is an engineer, her mother serves as a real estate agent. Welker is the only child of her parents. She has White American ancestry on her father’s side of the family and African American ancestry on her mother’s.
Walker completed her primary and secondary education from schools in her native city and later attended the Germantown Friends School, Philadelphia from where she graduated in 1994. She then moved to Cambridge, Massachusetts to attend Harvard College and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1998, with honours, with a Major in History. Additionally, Welker received a Rotary Scholarship for which she went to Madrid, Spain to study Spanish.
Career Rise
Welker embarked upon a career in broadcast journalism in the late 1990’s when she was offered a position at the Providence, Rhode Island based ABC affiliate WLNE-TV where she served for several years. She was then hired in the capacity of a reporter at the Redding/Chico, California based ABC affiliate KRCR-TV serving at the network from 2001-2003. She later moved to WLNE-ABC6 News where she once again served as a news reporter until 2005 until she made her debut as a news anchor at the NBC 10 affiliate WCAU in her native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Welker also served as reporter and weekend anchor and continued to hold the position until 2009.
Welker started gaining national recognition in 2010 when she was offered the position of a correspondent at the national NBC News Network’s West Coast Headquarters located in Burbank, California. In May 2011, Welker was named the official White House Correspondent representing NBC News from the Greater Los Angeles area. As a White House Correspondent, Welker has travelled extensively across the world documenting the actions of former U.S. President Barack Obama. She also covered the American presidential campaign of 2012 and reported stories on the Obama administration extensively. As of 2017, Welker continues in her position of White House Correspondent and reports on the administration led by President Donald. J. Trump.
Kristen Welker – Pictures
Husband
Welker was introduced to John Hughes who serves as a marketing director at Merck by mutual friends who set up the couple in October 2014. Hughes proposed to Welker in a romantic setting at the Lincoln Memorial and the couple tied the knot at the Hyatt at Bellevue Hotel in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on 4 March 2017. Their wedding was attended by 300 close friends and family members.
Welker battled a severe sinus infection which affected her health immensely and caused her to lose the sense of smell. She underwent corrective surgery post which she regained up to 90% of the sense. Welker is also a National Association of Black Journalists member.
Kristen Welker – Net Worth and Salary
Welker earns an annual salary of approximately $100,000, excluding bonuses. She has an estimated net worth of approximately $2.5 Million.