Savannah Guthrie is NBC’s Today show co-anchor and attorney. Born December 27, 1971, she’s 54, married to Michael Feldman, with an estimated net worth of $40 million.
Savannah Guthrie is one of the most recognized faces in American morning television. As the lead co-anchor of NBC’s Today show since 2012, she has built a career that blends legal expertise with broadcast storytelling — a combination that sets her apart from virtually every other anchor in the business.
What makes her story compelling isn’t just the Emmy awards or the White House press briefings — it’s the journey. She pivoted from local news to law school to the nation’s most-watched morning program, all while navigating personal loss and very public challenges. In early 2026, Guthrie stepped away from the show when her 84-year-old mother, Nancy, went missing from her Tucson, Arizona home — a crisis that drew nationwide attention and revealed just how deeply audiences have come to care about her.
Quick Facts About Savannah Guthrie
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Savannah Clark Guthrie |
| Date of Birth | December 27, 1971 |
| Age | 54 (as of 2026) |
| Birthplace | Melbourne, Victoria, Australia |
| Profession | Broadcast Journalist, Attorney, Author |
| Employer | NBC News |
| Net Worth | ~$40 million (est. 2026) |
| Annual Salary | ~$8 million |
| Spouse | Michael Feldman (m. 2014); previously Mark Orchard (2005–2009) |
| Children | Vale (b. 2014), Charley (b. 2016) |
| Education | B.A. Journalism, University of Arizona (1993); J.D. magna cum laude, Georgetown University Law Center (2002) |
| Famous For | Co-anchor, NBC’s Today; NBC Chief Legal Correspondent |
Early Life and Growing Up in Arizona
Savannah Clark Guthrie was born on December 27, 1971, in Melbourne, Australia, where her father Charles worked as a mining engineer. The family returned to the United States when she was just two years old, eventually settling in Tucson, Arizona. Tucson shaped her formative years, and its influence quietly followed her throughout her life — her mother still lived there decades later.
Her father’s death from a heart attack when Savannah was 16 was, by her own account, the moment that “tore her whole world apart.” The loss brought the family closer. She later chose to attend college locally, in part because she and her sister didn’t want to leave their mother alone. That closeness with her mother, Nancy, would become one of the most defining threads of her life.
She attended Amphitheater High School in Tucson before enrolling at the University of Arizona. There she was a member of the Pi Beta Phi sorority and graduated cum laude with a B.A. in journalism in 1993. By all accounts, she was ambitious, curious, and deeply driven — a student who took every assignment seriously.
From Newsrooms to Law School: An Unconventional Education
After graduating, Guthrie began her broadcasting career at local NBC affiliates across the country, including a brief stint at KTVM in Butte, Montana — where the news operation shut down just ten days after she started. She bounced through stations in Columbia, Missouri, and Tucson before landing at WRC-TV in Washington, D.C., where she covered the Pentagon attack on September 11, 2001, and the anthrax mailings that followed.
It was during this period that Guthrie made a bold and somewhat counterintuitive decision: she walked away from a growing TV career to attend law school. She applied to only one program — Georgetown University Law Center — and got in. Starting as a 1L in the fall of 1999 at the age of 27, she worked part-time in the dean’s office to cover expenses and, by her own admission, felt entirely out of her depth at first.
She proved herself wrong. Guthrie graduated magna cum laude in 2002, earned membership in the Order of the Coif — one of law’s highest academic honors — and scored the highest mark on the Arizona Bar Exam that year. It was a remarkable achievement, and one that would permanently distinguish her broadcast career.
Building a Career at NBC and the Road to Today
After a stint practicing white-collar criminal defense at the Washington firm Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer and Feld, Guthrie returned to journalism in 2004 as a legal affairs correspondent for Court TV. She covered high-profile trials including the Michael Jackson case, bringing both the reporter’s instinct and the lawyer’s precision to her work.
In September 2007, she joined NBC News as a legal analyst and correspondent. NBC quickly recognized her versatility: by 2008 she had been named White House Correspondent, covering presidential campaigns and the Obama administration at close range. She also co-anchored MSNBC’s The Daily Rundown from 2010 to 2011, further cementing her profile as a political journalist.
She joined the Today show in 2011 as chief legal correspondent and third-hour co-host. In July 2012, she was elevated to lead co-anchor — replacing Ann Curry — and has held that chair ever since. It is an unusually durable tenure in a format known for turnover. Alongside Hoda Kotb, and later Craig Melvin (who joined as co-anchor in early 2025 when Kotb retired), Guthrie has helped Today maintain its standing as one of America’s most-watched morning programs.
Her most notable on-air moments reflect the full range of what the job demands. She announced Matt Lauer’s firing live on air in November 2017. She has interviewed sitting presidents, Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump, and a wide cast of newsmakers. She has also co-hosted the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade annually since 2012 — a tradition that puts her in front of some of the show’s largest audiences.
Personal Life: Marriage, Family, and Private Joys
Guthrie’s personal life has been shaped by both loss and warmth. Her first marriage, to BBC News presenter Mark Orchard, lasted from 2005 to 2009. She spoke openly about the end of that relationship in a 2025 interview, saying it “broke her heart.” She took time to rebuild before beginning a relationship with Michael Feldman, a Democratic political and communications consultant.
The two married on March 15, 2014, in a private ceremony in Tucson, Arizona. Their daughter Vale was born in August 2014, and their son Charles — often called Charley — was born in December 2016 via in-vitro fertilization. Guthrie has spoken candidly about the IVF journey, offering a rare look into the private struggles that many families face. She is known for keeping her children largely out of the public eye, though she occasionally shares glimpses of family life on social media.
Her bond with her mother, Nancy, has been one of the most publicly visible aspects of her personal life. Nancy Guthrie made numerous appearances on Today over the years, becoming a familiar presence to regular viewers. In early 2026, Savannah stepped away from all her NBC duties after Nancy was reported missing from her Tucson home on February 1 — a case involving suspected abduction that drew FBI involvement and national attention. Savannah posted an emotional plea on Instagram asking for proof her mother was alive. She also withdrew from hosting the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan to remain close to her family.
Net Worth and Earnings
Savannah Guthrie has built considerable financial success over a career spanning more than three decades. Her estimated net worth as of 2026 sits around $40 million, with an annual salary of approximately $8 million from NBC — placing her among the highest-paid morning show anchors in the country.
Beyond her broadcast income, Guthrie has authored a series of children’s books, including Mostly What God Does Is Love You (2025), which reflects her personal faith and storytelling gifts. Speaking engagements and other media work round out her earnings portfolio. Her wealth, in many ways, mirrors her career: built methodically, brick by brick, across multiple disciplines.
Health Challenges and Resilience
Guthrie has faced health challenges with the same composure she brings to breaking news. She stepped away from Today in early January 2026 to undergo vocal cord surgery to treat persistent nodules and a polyp — a procedure that kept her off-air temporarily. Her return was planned for April 2026, after her children’s spring school break.
The timing made the following weeks especially difficult, as the surgery recovery coincided almost exactly with her mother’s disappearance. That she nonetheless expressed a determination to return — telling her Today colleagues in March 2026, “I have every intention of coming back. You’re my family” — said much about the character that has defined her tenure on the show.
Final Thoughts
Savannah Guthrie’s career defies easy categorization. She is, simultaneously, a licensed attorney, a veteran White House correspondent, a morning show anchor, and a children’s book author. That range is not accidental — it reflects someone who has consistently refused to be defined by a single lane.
The qualities her mother reportedly instilled in her — curiosity, quickness, a love of reading — show up every day in her work. Even in the hardest moments of 2026, her professionalism and humanity remained visible to millions of viewers.
Whatever comes next, Savannah Guthrie has already built a legacy that stands on its own terms: not just as a broadcaster, but as someone who brought depth, legal literacy, and genuine warmth to American mornings for more than a decade.
People Also Ask
What is Savannah Guthrie best known for?
Savannah Guthrie is best known as the lead co-anchor of NBC’s Today show, a role she has held since July 2012. She is also NBC’s Chief Legal Correspondent and has covered everything from White House briefings to high-profile trials.
Is Savannah Guthrie a real lawyer?
Yes. Guthrie earned her J.D. magna cum laude from Georgetown University Law Center in 2002 and scored the highest mark on the Arizona Bar Exam that year. She briefly practiced white-collar criminal defense before returning to journalism.
Who is Savannah Guthrie married to?
She has been married to Michael Feldman, a political and communications consultant, since March 2014. The couple has two children: a daughter, Vale, and a son, Charley.
What happened to Savannah Guthrie’s mother in 2026?
Savannah’s 84-year-old mother, Nancy Guthrie, was reported missing from her Tucson, Arizona home on February 1, 2026. Authorities found signs of forced entry and dried blood at the residence, and the FBI opened an active investigation into a suspected abduction.
How much does Savannah Guthrie earn?
Guthrie earns an estimated $8 million annually from NBC. Her overall net worth is estimated at approximately $40 million as of 2026, accumulated through her broadcasting career, book deals, and speaking engagements.
