Printable Biography of Joan Lunden

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Joan Lunden is one of America’s most recognized and trusted television personalities. As host of ABC-TV’s “Good Morning America” for almost two decades (1980-1997), the the longest-running host on early morning television, Lunden helped millions of viewers greet each new day. During her tenure she reported from 26 countries, covered four presidents, five Olympics, and two Royal weddings, and all the while kept Americans up to date on how to care for their homes, their families and themselves. Today, calling upon all those many years of interviewing the world’s greatest leaders and stars from all walks of life including chefs and lifestyle experts, she is host of the CBS primetime series “Wickedly Perfect” a competition searching for America’s next great style maker.
(Saturdays 8 PM ET/PT)

An award-winning broadcast journalist, Lunden executive produced and hosted the weekly series “Behind Closed Doors” from 1996-2001 first for ABC TV, then for A&E TV. On the critically-acclaimed program she gave viewers unprecedented access to places few have ever seen like the CIA Headquarters and the Secret Service Training Grounds, and she delighted viewers with her on-air daredevil adventures like bungee jumping, mountain climbing, performing as a Las Vegas Showgirl, and diving to the bottom of the sea with Oceanographers. She has also been allowed to take part in a number of daring military training exercises: deploying with the Navy Seals from a Nuclear Attack Submarine; landing on the USS Eisenhower in an FA-18; flying at 65,000 feet, the edge of space, in a U2 Reconnaissance aircraft; training in an M1A2 Abrams Battle Tank; night attack jump training with the 82nd Airborne and formation skydiving with the elite Golden Knights. In May 2001, Lunden was awarded for her in-depth coverage of our Armed Forces with the Decoration for Distinguished Civilian Service, the highest honor given to a civilian by the military.

Lunden is one of the most visible moms in America. In March of this year, the mother of Jamie, Lindsay, Sarah and toddler twins Kate and Max, announced that she and her husband businessman Jeff Konigsberg have welcomed their second set of twins, Kimberly and Jack, by a surrogate. Also one of the most written about moms in America, she has graced the covers of over 26 magazines, most recently Ladies Home Journal (May 2004), Women's Day (May 2004), People (March 2003) and Good Housekeeping (September 2003 and the upcoming June 2005 issue). In sharing her personal experiences, Lunden has become a vocal parenting advocate and endeared herself to American viewers. She was voted “Mother of the Year” by the National Mother’s Day Committee and “Career Mother of the Year” by the National Institute of Infant Services. Lunden has dedicated much of her career to educating parents, hosting the award-winning “Mothers Day” program for Lifetime TV, “Miracle Babies” for PAX-TV, and the video “Your Newborn Baby.” She can currently be seen on the Newborn Baby Channel, in hospital maternity wards around the country and on www/ivillage.com.

A best selling author, her books include "Growing Up Healthy: Protecting Your Child From Diseases Now Through Adulthood", "Wake-Up Calls", “A Bend In The Road Is Not The End Of The Road", “Joan Lunden’s Healthy Living", "Joan Lunden’s Healthy Cooking", "Mother’s Minutes", "Your Newborn Baby", and "Good Morning I’m Joan Lunden". She also hosts the exercise video "Workout America".

Ms. Lunden is a nationally known speaker addressing groups as large 25,0000, on subjects ranging from Women’s Health and Children’s Nutrition, Fertility and Surrogacy, Dealing with Change and Finding Success, the Television Media and The Search for Inspiration and Happiness. Lunden toured with Tony Robbins for three years and has hosted corporate events for such companies as Hyperion Solutions, VISA, Tricon Global Restaurants, Volvo and Hewlett Packard. She has hosted numerous satellite media tours and media events including Benefiber, National Canned Foods, Schering-Plough, and the National Pork Association. Lunden has also hosted many corporate annual meetings as well as institutional videos, representing such entities as The American Dental Association and The American Lung Association.

Lunden’s dedication to her family, her work, and her civic responsibility have earned her numerous honors and awards, including the Spirit of Achievement Award from the Albert Einstein College of Yeshiva, National Women’s Political Caucus Award, New Jersey Division of Civil Rights Award, Baylor University Outstanding Woman of the Year, and the YWCA Outstanding Woman’s Award. The New York Women in Communications honored Lunden with a Matrix Award for her outstanding contributions to the broadcasting field.

Lunden began her broadcasting career in Sacramento, California, at KCRA-TV and Radio. She was a consumer reporter, weather reporter and anchor. In 1975 she joined WABC-TV Eyewitness News in New York as a reporter and anchor. She resides in the New York area with her husband and children.