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Jenna Lee

This article is about the broadcast journalist. For the ballerina, see Jenna Lee (dancer).

Jennifer Anne "Jenna" Lee (born (1980-05-30)May 30, 1980[1]) is an American journalist and former anchor on Fox News, where she co-hosted Happening Now with Jon Scott. Lee had previously co-anchored Fox Business' early-morning business news program, Fox Business Morning, with Connell McShane.[2]

Jenna Lee
Lee in 2007
Born (1980-05-30) May 30, 1980 (age 44)
Education
Occupation(s)Journalist, television news presenter
EmployerFox Entertainment Group
Spouse
Leif Babin
​
(m. 2011)​
Children3
Parent(s)Janice and Bob Lee
RelativesZac Lee (brother)

Early life and education

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Lee, a San Francisco native, was born to Janice and Bob Lee, a former National Football League quarterback.[3] Her brother, Zac Lee, was also a professional quarterback.[4][5] Lee's grandfather, Paul Kern Lee, was a war correspondent for the Associated Press in San Francisco.[6]

Lee attended college at the University of California, Santa Barbara, where she played collegiate softball for the UC Santa Barbara Gauchos during the 1999 season.[7] She graduated in 2002 with a B.A. in English and global studies.[8] She later attended Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, graduating in 2005 with a master's degree.[9]

Career

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Career beginnings

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After graduating from UC Santa Barbara, Lee worked from 2002 to 2004 at Marina Times, a San Francisco community newspaper, as a freelance reporter in her spare time.[8] Later, she enrolled at Columbia University, where she worked at NY1 and did freelance writing for Forbes.com.[8] She left NY1 and joined Forbes full-time.[8]

While at Forbes, Lee tried to orchestrate a permanent move in front of the camera.[10] Using some on-camera work she compiled from her time at Forbes, she was hired by Fox Business Network.[10]

Fox Business Network

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Lee was hired by FOX News Chairman & CEO Roger Ailes in 2007.[11] With Nicole Petallides, the duo were the original anchors of Fox Business Morning on Fox Business Network when the channel made its debut on October 15, 2007.[12][8]

FOX later added Lee as a contributor to Money for Breakfast and as an anchor to the web-only FoxBusiness.com Live Morning Edition, which launched in February 2009.[8][10][13] Upon the cancellation of Money for Breakfast in December 2009, Lee gained a role on Imus in the Morning, the show that took its time slot.[14]

The last airing of Fox Business Morning was in May 2010, after which it was replaced by Best of Imus as the lead-in to Imus in the Morning.[15]

Transition to Fox News Channel

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Lee left Fox Business Network in July 2010 and joined Fox News Channel, where she replaced Jane Skinner as Jon Scott's co-anchor on Happening Now.[16][17][11] She was the first personality to go from Fox Business Network to Fox News Channel.[16][11]

On June 2, 2017, Lee announced on Happening Now that she was leaving Fox News immediately to pursue other projects and opportunities.[18] In 2018, Lee launched the SmartHer News, which she described as a "fact based, nonpartisan" digital news platform.[19]

Personal life

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On July 3, 2011, Lee married Lieutenant Commander Leif Babin, a former Navy SEAL officer, in Wimberley, Texas.[20] Babin, a recipient of a Silver Star, a Bronze Star, and a Purple Heart for service in Anbar Province, Iraq, in 2006, is the son of US Congressman Brian Babin.[20] The couple met at the 2008 Navy SEAL Warrior Fund dinner held in New York City at the Waldorf Astoria New York.[20] She has stated that after meeting Babin she gained a better understanding of life for military families and the impact of war.[21][19]

Lee and Babin have three children.[19][22][23][24] Through social media she announced she now lives in Texas.[citation needed]

Lee appeared in the October 2009 edition of Cosmopolitan with an accompanying photo spread detailing her wardrobe strategy.[25][26][27]

References

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  1. ^ Fell, James S. (June 9, 2012). "5 Questions: No shadows on Jenna Lee's fitness spotlight". Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles. Retrieved August 24, 2015.
  2. ^ Gold, Matea (September 4, 2009). "QUICK TAKES". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 30, 2022.
  3. ^ "Jenna Lee's New York". New York. November 4, 2013. Archived from the original on October 7, 2015. Retrieved August 24, 2015.
  4. ^ Friedman, Jon (October 14, 2009). "Fox's Jenna Lee has a glamorous grind". marketwatch.com. Retrieved August 24, 2015.
  5. ^ "Zac Lee player profile". huskers.com. Retrieved August 24, 2015.
  6. ^ "OBITUARY -- Paul Kern Lee". San Francisco Chronicle. San Francisco. August 9, 1996. Retrieved August 24, 2015.
  7. ^ Barney, Chuck (October 23, 2008). "Jenna Lee rejects 'anchor babe' label". San Jose Mercury News. San Jose, California. Retrieved August 24, 2015.
  8. ^ a b c d e f Mason, Dave (February 23, 2011). "This Just in: UCSB grad covers the world for Fox News Channel". Santa Barbara News-Press. Santa Barbara, California. Retrieved August 24, 2015.
  9. ^ "Columbia Journalism School E-News" (PDF). journalism.columbia.edu. July 8, 2011. p. 5. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2016. Retrieved August 24, 2015.
  10. ^ a b c Huff, Richard (May 31, 2009). "Jenna Lee's tenacity paved road to Fox biz anchor job". Daily News. New York City. Retrieved August 24, 2015.
  11. ^ a b c Pompeo, Joe (July 7, 2010). "Fox Business Network's Jenna Lee Heads To Fox News Channel". businessinsider.com. Retrieved August 24, 2015.
  12. ^ "Fox Business Network Debuts". CBS News. New York City. October 15, 2007. Retrieved August 24, 2015.
  13. ^ Shields, Mike (February 9, 2009). "FBN Preps Live Daily Web Series". Adweek. Retrieved August 24, 2015.
  14. ^ Flint, Joe (December 23, 2009). "The Business Behind The Show". Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles. Retrieved August 24, 2015.
  15. ^ Gold, Matea (May 26, 2010). "What You're Watching". Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles. Retrieved August 24, 2015.
  16. ^ a b "Jenna Lee Joins Fox News' 'Happening Now'". huffingtonpost.com. July 7, 2010. Retrieved August 24, 2015.
  17. ^ Krakauer, Steve (July 7, 2010). "Breaking: Jenna Lee Named Co-Anchor Of Fox News' Happening Now". mediaite.com. Retrieved August 24, 2015.
  18. ^ Concha, Joe (June 2, 2017). "Fox's Jenna Lee announces decision to leave the network". The Hill. Retrieved August 30, 2022.
  19. ^ a b c Yost, Teal (June 14, 2021). "Journalist builds platform committed to unbiased news - Military Spouses". Military Families. Retrieved August 30, 2022.
  20. ^ a b c Mallozzi, Vincent M. (July 2, 2011). "Jenna Lee, Leif Babin". The New York Times. New York City. Retrieved August 24, 2015.
  21. ^ Castro, Danilo (June 2, 2017). "Jenna Lee Leaves Fox News: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know". Heavy.com. Retrieved August 30, 2022.
  22. ^ Ariens, Chris (September 3, 2014). "Jenna Lee Gives Birth to Brian Marc Babin". Adweek. Retrieved August 24, 2015.
  23. ^ "It's a Girl! Jenna Lee & Husband Leif Babin Introduce Liberty". Fox News Channel. April 8, 2016. Retrieved April 11, 2016.
  24. ^ Joyella, Mark (April 8, 2016). "A Daughter Named Liberty for FNC's Jenna Lee". Adweek. Retrieved April 11, 2016.
  25. ^ Allocca, Kevin (September 8, 2009). "The Ticker: Newseum, Hunter, Lee". mediabistro.com. Archived from the original on September 23, 2009. Retrieved August 24, 2015.
  26. ^ "Cosmopolitan" (PDF). mediabistro.com. October 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 7, 2009. Retrieved August 24, 2015.
  27. ^ Anson, Jasper. "Jenna Lee Interview". askmen.com. Retrieved August 24, 2015.
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