Maggie Vespa is an American journalist who works as a correspondent for NBC News and MSNBC, based in Chicago, Illinois. She joined the network in March 2022, after working as a reporter and fill-in anchor at KGW-TV in Portland, Oregon. In this article, we will explore her biography, career, awards, and personal life.
Early Life and Education
Maggie Vespa was born on December 29, 1987, in Peoria, Illinois, to Kay Vespa and Mr. Vespa. Her mother was a former journalist who worked as a reporter and anchor on Peoria television in the 1970s. Maggie grew up watching NBC and developed an interest in journalism from a young age.
She attended Dunlap High School, where she graduated in 2006. She then enrolled at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where she majored in broadcast journalism and graduated in 2010 with a Bachelor of Science degree.
Career and Achievements
Maggie Vespa began her career as a news anchor and reporter at WEEK-TV and Heart of Illinois ABC in Peoria, where she worked from 2010 to 2012. She then moved to Tucson, Arizona, where she joined KGUN-TV as a reporter and anchor. She covered various stories, including the 2013 Yarnell Hill Fire, the 2014 Tucson shooting, and the 2015 Tucson monsoon.
In 2014, she left KGUN-TV and joined KGW-TV in Portland, Oregon, where she worked for over seven years. She started as a weekend anchor and reporter, and later became the host of “The Story”, a weeknight news program that focused on in-depth reporting of local and regional issues. She also reported on the 2016 Oregon standoff, the 2017 Portland train attack, the 2018 Oregon wildfires, and the 2020 Portland protests.
During her time at KGW-TV, she also gained national attention for her response to a viewer who criticized her wardrobe on Facebook. The viewer wrote, “Just wanted to let you know that the clothes you’ve been wearing, especially those crazy pants that ride half way up your torso, are not cool looking, in any way! … You’re way too pretty to look so foolish.” Maggie replied, “Public female figures face this garbage from entitled, unhinged strangers a lot. … My wonderfully supportive male coworkers are routinely baffled by it, as it’s almost never a two-way street.” She also wore the same pants on air for several days, and received support from various media outlets, such as The New York Times, The Washington Post, and Inside Edition.
In 2020, she won a Northwest Regional Emmy Award for best news anchor, for her work at KGW-TV. The region includes TV stations in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington.
In March 2022, she left KGW-TV and joined NBC News and MSNBC as a correspondent, based in Chicago, Illinois. She reports across all the network’s platforms, covering national and international stories.
Personal Life and Interests
Maggie Vespa is very private about her personal life, and has not revealed much information about her relationship status. She is active on social media, where she posts about her work, hobbies, and family. She enjoys traveling, hiking, reading, and cooking. She is also a fan of the Chicago Cubs and the Illinois Fighting Illini. She has a dog named Henry, who often appears on her Instagram account.
Maggie Vespa is a talented and respected journalist, who has made a name for herself in the media industry. She is passionate about telling stories that matter, and inspiring others to pursue their dreams. She is a role model for many aspiring journalists, especially women, who face challenges and criticism in their careers. She is also a proud Illinois native, who has returned to her home state to work for one of the most prestigious news networks in the world. Maggie Vespa Wikipedia is a topic that deserves more attention, as she is a remarkable person with a remarkable story.