Barbara West (TV news anchor)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
1948 (age 76–77)
- Miss Vermont 1969
- Miss University of Vermont 1969
Barbara West | |
|---|---|
| Born | Barbara Schmitt 1948 (age 76–77) |
| Education | University of Vermont |
| Occupation(s) | TV journalist, news anchor |
| Beauty pageant titleholder | |
| Title |
|
| Hair color | Blonde |
| Eye color | Brown |
| Major competition | Miss America 1970 |
Barbara West (née Schmitt; born 1948) is an American television journalist and former news anchor for WFTV in Orlando, Florida. She and her husband have now organized a not-for-profit foundation that raises significant amounts of money for leading hospitals, animal shelters, hospices, educational institutions and other charitable organizations across the country.
West attended the University of Vermont and obtained a Master's degree. While there, she won the 1969 Miss Vermont contest and was selected to represent her state in the national Miss America competition. Before starting her career in television news, she was an assistant professor at the university.
West's husband Wade West is a former political strategist for both Democrats and Republicans, including presidential cabinet members and the Bush and Clinton administrations.
Journalism career
West was principal assistant to Peter Jennings while he was anchor for ABC's World News Tonight in London. She helped cover such stories as the Royal Wedding of Charles and Diana and the Iranian Hostage Crisis. Since 1992 she has served as health reporter and anchor for Orlando's WFTV news at noon and 5:30. As a health reporter she traveled to Canada to report on its health care system and to Ukraine to report on the tenth anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster and its health effects. She received the 2002 Summit Award for Community service from Central Florida Women's Resource Center and an Emmy for her reporting on women fighting breast cancer. On her official biography page on WFTV.com, she lists her first two specific accomplishments as covering the inauguration of President George W. Bush and covering the impeachment of President Bill Clinton.[1]