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Member Number: 8013
María de la Soledad Teresa O'Brien(b. September 19, 1966) is an American television journalist of Australian, Irish and Afro-Cuban heritage.
O'Brien is most known for anchoring the CNN marquee morning newscast American Morning from July 2003 - April 3, 2007, with Miles O'Brien. Her common surname with her co-anchor Miles O'Brien is a coincidence. O'Brien is now hosting the CNN Special Investigations Unit, the umbrella-titled program featuring documentary programs produced on the North American CNN television service.
Personal life
Soledad's parents, both immigrants, met at Johns Hopkins University in Maryland in 1958.
My parents were both immigrants—my mother from Cuba, my father from Australia. Both attended daily Mass at the church near campus. Every day my father would offer my mother a ride. Every day, she declined. Finally she said yes. One year later, the day after Christmas, the two of them were married.
Soledad's parents married in 1959 in Washington, D.C.. Her father Edward, an Australian ( from Toowoomba, Australia) of Irish descent, was a mechanical engineering professor. Her mother Estella, an Afro-Cuban, was a French and English teacher. Soledad is the fifth of six kids, who all graduated from Harvard University. Her older siblings are law professor Maria (b. 1961); corporate lawyer Cecilia (b. 1962), Tony (b. 1963) that heads a documents company; eye surgeon Estela (b. 1964); and anesthesiologist Orestes (b. 1968).
The O'Briens moved to the Long Island community of St. James, where Soledad was born and raised. On the NPR quiz show Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!, O'Brien explained that in Spanish her full name means, "The Blessed Virgin Mary of Solitude." When she started working in TV, many people recommended that she change her name, but she refused.
Despite her partial Latina heritage, O'Brien doesn't speak Spanish fluently. That has resulted in some awkward exchanges with people who assume she does, including former vice-president Al Gore.
Soledad attended Harvard and Radcliffe College, studying English and American Studies and taking multiple science courses, including summer classes at the State University of NY at Stonybrook "with the crazed notion of becoming a doctor". In 1987, she dropped out of college to work in news production. Thirteen years later in 2000 while pregnant she returned to Harvard and completed her degree. Soledad jokes, "There's not an O'Brien Library at Harvard, but with all our tuitions, there should be."
She graduated from Harvard University, with a degree in English language and American literature.
Since 1995 Soledad has been married to Morgan Stanley investment banker Bradley Raymond. Together they have two daughters and two sons. Sofia Elizabeth was born 23 October 2000 and Cecilia was born 20 March 2002. On Monday 30 Aug 04 twin sons were born. Charlie was born at 6:23 pm est weighing 7 pounds 1 ounces and 4 minutes later came Jackson at 6:27pm est weighing 7 pounds, 2 ounces.
Broadcasting career
She began her career as an associate producer and news writer at WBZ-TV, then the NBC affiliate in Boston. O'Brien joined NBC News in 1991, and was based in New York as a field producer for the Nightly News and Today. O'Brien then worked for three years as a local reporter and bureau chief for San Francisco NBC affiliate KRON. At KRON she was a reporter on "The Know Zone." The program later moved to CNET without O'Brien.
O'Brien was featured on a regular segment of the Discovery Channel program The Next Step, holding the position of "Sun Microsystems Infogal."
O'Brien then anchored MSNBC's weekend morning show and the cable network's award-winning technology program The Site, which aired weeknights from the Spring of 1996 to November 1997.
O'Brien came to CNN from NBC News, where she had anchored Weekend Today since July 1999. During that time, she contributed reports for the weekday Today Show and for weekend editions of NBC Nightly News, and covered such notable stories as John F. Kennedy Jr.'s plane crash and the 1990s school shootings in Colorado and Oregon. In 2003, she covered the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster and later anchored NBC's weekend coverage of the War in Iraq. In 2005, she covered the Hurricane Katrina aftermath in New Orleans where she interviewed ex head of FEMA Michael Brown.
O'Brien began anchoring CNN's flagship morning program American Morning from New York City in July 2003, when she joined the network. On April 3, 2007 O'Brien was replaced by former Fox News anchor Kiran Chetry (her co-anchor was also replaced), reportedly due to lagging ratings. She continues to work as a reporter for CNN.AccomplishmentsHonors and recognitions
O'Brien's work has been honored several times, including a local Emmy for her work co-hosting the Discovery Channel's The Know Zone. She has been named to People's 50 Most Beautiful in 2001 and to People en Español's 50 Most Beautiful in 2004. She was named to Irish American Magazine's "Top 100 Irish Americans" on two occasions. She is also on Black Enterprise magazine's 2005 Hit List. Also in 2005, she was awarded "Groundbreaking Latina of the Year" award by Catalina magazine. Most recently she was awarded the 2007 NAACP President's Award.
She is a member of the National Association of Black Journalists and the National Association of Hispanic Journalists. She serves on the board of directors of The Harlem School of the Arts.
O'Brien was invited to be the convocation speaker at Cornell University in May 2007. She also holds an honorary degree from Bryant University as she was the Undergraduate Commencement speaker in May 2007.
Links- Soledad O'Brien, CNN.com biography
- Hispanic Magazine Online - 2005 Cover Story
- Pictures of Soledad O'Brien
- Soledad O'Brien at the Internet Movie Database
- Interview with O'Brien
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Maria O'Brien News and Information
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Carbery duo win Lyre mixed doubles Southern Star, Ireland - Claire O’Brien had a mighty battle with Marie O’Donovan in the junior women’s quarter-final in the Clubhouse. Ahead by a bowl at one stage she lost and ... |
 Daily Mail | Record breaker O'Brien set to go on and on Daily Mail, UK - The three-year-old colt raced for O’Brien’s wife, Anne-Marie, until switching hands to Adrian Nolan two starts ago. Nolan’s royal blue and emerald green ... |
GO BLAKE! Monterey County Herald, CA - But the answer is not 14, because one woman, Cathy O'Brien, in 1988 and 1992, ran and finished two Olympic Marathons as a US team member. ... |
 Kerry's Eye | EYE ON TRALEE By Anne Pullen Kerry's Eye, Ireland - ... who celebrated their son Patrick’s christening on Saturday - from Marie, Boy and the gang. Best wishes to Nora Scanlon and Maurice O’Brien, Listellick, ... |
Marie O’Brien Jamestown Post Journal, NY - Marie O'Brien (nee Young) passed away July 30, 2008, at the Heritage Green Rehab and Skilled Nursing Center, Greenhurst. From 1957 until she suf-fered a ... |
UPDATE: Brockton teen crash victim still hospitalized Wicked Local Brockton, MA - Police said that a 2006 Chevrolet, operated by Warren O’Brien, 66, of Quincy, struck the side of Dodge-James’ vehicle, then spun out of control and struck a ... |
Neighbors in the News Milford Times, MI - Air Force Airman Michael M. O'Brien has graduated from basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas. ... |
Miriam College preaches and practices environmentalism Inquirer.net, Philippines - Along this line, Miriam organized a forum with Terrence O’Brien, deputy director of the California Energy Commission (CEC) who was on a cultural exchange ... |
 Kerry's Eye | THE VIEW FROM KILLARNEY With Breda Joy Kerry's Eye, Ireland - Doreen(nee O’Brien) is from Ballagh, Beaufort. On the home front, there were scores of relatives from all over the country including Galway and Donore, ... |
Oldcastle Argicultural Show Results Anglo Celt, Ireland - Pony young stock 1 year old Gelding or Filly, Dolores O’Brien – Mullagh, Kells. Pony Young Stock 2 & 3 years Gelding or filly, Mary Donner – Glasson. ... |
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