Maria de la Soledad Teresa O'Brien, known professionally as Soledad O'Brien, was born in 1966. She is of American nationality and the fifth of six children born to immigrant parents. Her father, Edward O'Brien, was an Australian of Irish descent, and her mother, Estela Lucrecia Marquetti y Mendoza, was a Black Cuban. The couple met while attending Johns Hopkins University in Maryland.
At the time of their marriage, interracial unions were not permitted under Maryland law, so they wed in Washington, D.C. The O'Brien children all went on to graduate from Harvard University. Despite her Afro-Cuban heritage, Soledad O'Brien does not speak Spanish fluently, a common misconception given her background.
Soledad O'Brien began her broadcasting career at WBZ-TV, an NBC-affiliated station in Boston, before moving on to national roles at NBC and CNN. Her reporting gained widespread attention and praise for its depth and clarity. At CNN, she co-anchored the morning news program American Morning and later anchored Starting Point, which premiered in 2012. She left CNN to focus on her own production company, Starfish Media Group, where she serves as the chair and CEO.
Founded by O'Brien, Starfish Media Group is a multimedia production and distribution company focused on telling empowering stories about race, class, wealth, opportunity, and poverty. The company partners with major broadcasters and media organizations. Through Starfish, O'Brien has produced a range of documentaries and specials, continuing her commitment to socially impactful storytelling.
O'Brien has worked extensively as an executive producer and moderator. She currently moderates the National Geographic Bee, having taken over the role after Alex Trebek, who hosted the competition for over 25 years. She is also a correspondent for HBO’s Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel and has contributed to Al Jazeera America’s America Tonight.
In addition to her media work, O'Brien is committed to education and public service. She was named a Distinguished Visiting Fellow at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and serves on the Board of Directors for the Foundation for the National Archives in Washington, D.C. Her philanthropic interests are reflected in her leadership of the PowHERful Foundation, which supports young women in pursuing higher education.
| Birth Date: | 19 Sep, 1966 |
| Age: | 53 yrs |
| Occupations: | Journalist Television presenter |
| Citizenship: | United States of America |
| Birth Place: | St. James |
| Education: | Harvard University |
| Gender: | Female |
| Description: | American broadcast journalist, producer, and philanthropist |
| Twitter Id: | Soledadobrien |
| Net Worth 2021: | 10 million |
