Education

Lara grew up in Garden City, Long Island, a suburb of New York City. Along with being a great student, she was an expert diver. She got to attend the popular Penn State University on an athletic scholarship she received for platform and springboard diving.  In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Spencer said that her coach was the one who suggested that she pursue sports reporting. She gave it a shot on the school’s TV station because of her coach’s encouragement. She compared being on TV to her diving career because as an athlete, you get no second chances just like live television.

She was very exceptional in the sport of diving. She was a national rank holder and named an All American Athlete. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Broadcast journalism from Penn State University.

Personal Life

She married David Haffenreffer, a former CNN journalist in the year 2000 in an Episcopalian ceremony in St. Andrew's Dune Church. Haffenreffer graduated from Saint Lawrence University in 1990. He worked for Houlihan Lawrence as a brokerage manager in Connecticut.

The marriage would only last 5 short years as they amicably divorced in June 2015. The couple ended their marriage after much thought, care and consideration. They continue to love and respect each other and are united in the important goal of on raising their 2 children, Kate and Duff.  

Lara made a difficult decision to leave her second job in 2009 when Duff was born. David has been the primary caregiver for their children while Lara has been the breadwinner. There was speculation that their jobs put tension in their relationship. While Lara was bringing in all the money, David felt inadequate as a man because he was the one that had to stay home. He felt like he wasn’t bringing equal value to the relationship which caused his insecurities to come out in negative ways.

Lara lives in a 1961 built Hollywood Hills house that she has decorated herself, complete with a trampoline in her backyard.

Broadcasting Career

Lara Spencer began her career in journalism as a page at NBC gaining invaluable experience working at many of the programs on the network. The NBC page program allowed new workers to gain experience by letting them follow and help established reporters.

After her first year as a page, she began working at the sales department of NBC. She later shifted to a local television station located in Chattanooga, Tenn.  She worked as a reporter, newscaster, and editor. She later moved on to 12 Long Island, an ABC affiliate located in New York City. Her lifestyle feature named Life Around Here, with Lara Spencer was a big hit and made her a regular contributor on Good Morning America.

She hosted the Antiques Roadshow on PBS television for 2 years and launched the popular entertainment program The Insider in 2010, a major competitor to Entertainment Tonight on another network.  Two years later she joined Good Morning America as a lifestyle reporter.