Cecilia Marcellina Vega (born January 7, 1977) is an American journalist best known for serving as a correspondent for 60 Minutes from March 2023 until May 2026. She previously worked at ABC News, serving as the network's Chief White House Correspondent and co-anchoring Good Morning America.[1][2]
Cecilia Vega | |
|---|---|
 Vega in 2017 | |
| Born | Cecilia Marcellina Vega January 7, 1977 San Francisco, California, U.S. |
| Education | American University (BA) |
| Years active | 1999–present |
| Employers | |
| Website | instagram |
Early life and education
editVega was born in San Francisco, California on January 7, 1977.[3] She along with her brother were raised in the East Bay area.[4] Her mother worked for the University of California.[4] In 1995, Vega graduated from Salesian High School in Richmond, California.[5] In 1999, she graduated from the American University School of Communication in Washington, D.C.[6] She is of Mexican and Italian descent.[7]
Career
edit1999–2010: Local news
editIn 1999, Vega started out as a newspaper journalist for the San Bernardino Sun, the Santa Rosa Press Democrat and then the San Francisco Chronicle[4] where she covered the then-Mayor Gavin Newsom's administration. Her reporting received accolades from the California Newspaper Publishers Association, the East Bay Press Club, and the Hearst Corporation.[8]
In 2007, she switched to broadcast media as a reporter for the local ABC television station KGO-TV in San Francisco.[9] In 2010, Vega won a Northern California Emmy Award for the Best Daytime Newscast in a Large Market.[10]
2011–2022: ABC News
editVega joined the national ABC News in 2011 as a Los Angeles-based correspondent.[11] In 2012, Vega covered the elections and second inauguration of President Barack Obama.[12] She also covered the 2016 presidential election and the candidacy of Hillary Clinton. During her time as a national correspondent, Vega covered numerous stories, including the Fukushima power plant disaster, the appointment of Pope Francis, the 2014 Ebola epidemic in the United States, the Sony computer hacking, and the 2016 Summer Olympics.[9]
On March 2, 2015, she became the anchor for the Saturday edition of World News Tonight, with Tom Llamas anchoring the Sunday edition.[13] In January 2017, Llamas was named the full-time weekend anchor of World News Tonight, while Vega was moved to become the senior White House Correspondent.[14]
On October 1, 2018, during a press conference about the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA), U.S. President Donald Trump called on her to ask him questions. He then joked at Vega's surprised reaction, stating: "I know you're not thinking. You never do."[15] Vega brushed aside the remark, and asked Trump about the FBI investigation into then-Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. Trump declined to answer, stating the question was unrelated to the trade deal. Vega later tweeted: "A news conference means you get to ask whatever question you want to ask. #FirstAmendment."[15]
In January 2021, Vega was named as the Chief White House Correspondent for ABC News, succeeding Jonathan Karl.[16]
2023–May 2026: 60 Minutes
editOn January 19, 2023, it was reported that Vega was joining CBS News as a correspondent for 60 Minutes.[17][18] Her hiring made Vega the first Latina correspondent for the program.[19] Vega's first story was about sperm whales, which aired on May 14, 2023.[20]
In 2024, the National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ) and CCNMA: Latino Journalists of California awarded Vega the 2024 National Latina Journalist of the Year.[21][22]
On May 28, 2026, CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss announced that Vega, her colleague Sharyn Alfonsi, and two senior executive producers had been fired from 60 Minutes as a result of a shakeup within the program.[23] In response, Vega blasted CBS News, stating that her contract was not set to expire until March 2027 and accused the network of censorship that was "both imposed and self-driven".[24]
References
edit- ↑ Scott, Van (March 2, 2015). "ABC News Announces Cecilia Vega & Tom Llamas as "World News Tonight" Weekend Anchors". ABC News. Archived from the original on March 4, 2015. Retrieved July 23, 2015.
- ↑ Glover, Julian (March 9, 2021). "ABC's Cecilia Vega shares journey to being 1st Latina named chief White House correspondent of English network". ABC7 News.
- ↑ "Cecilia Vega - Journalist". TV Insider. May 29, 2026. Retrieved May 29, 2026.
- 1 2 3 Pappu, Sridhar (September 15, 2023). "Is Cecilia Vega TV's Next Diane Sawyer?". Town & Country.
- ↑ "Media Mania". Salesian Magazine. Winter 2015. p. 2 – via issuu.[dead link]
- ↑ Mularz, Nicole; Olson, Megan (April 9, 2015). "SOC Alumna Reports Breaking News for ABC". American University. Archived from the original on December 8, 2015.
- ↑ Franco, Marina E. (May 11, 2023). "Cecilia Vega, first Latina "60 Minutes" correspondent, on her debut". Axios.
Being Latina, being Mexican American, those are things about my background that I bring with me and I can't wait to show that part of me in my stories.
- ↑ Welprin, Alex (September 19, 2011). "Cecilia Vega Named ABC News Correspondent". AdWeek. Archived from the original on February 3, 2015. Retrieved July 23, 2015.
- 1 2 "Cecilia Vega ABC News Official Biography". ABC News. Archived from the original on December 30, 2022. Retrieved July 23, 2015.
- ↑ "39th Annual Northern California Area EMMY Awards 2009–2010" (PDF) (Press release). Northern California Emmy Awards. May 17, 2015. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 23, 2015. Retrieved July 23, 2015.
- ↑ Knox, Merrill (September 19, 2011). "KGO's Cecilia Vega Named ABC News Correspondent". AdWeek. Archived from the original on July 23, 2015. Retrieved July 23, 2015.
- ↑ "Presidential Election 2012 TV Coverage — Network-By-Network Plans". Deadline Hollywood. November 5, 2012. Retrieved July 23, 2015.
- ↑ Chariton, Jordan (March 2, 2015). "ABC News Names Cecilia Vega and Tom Llamas 'World News Tonight' Weekend Anchors". TheWrap. Archived from the original on March 4, 2015. Retrieved July 23, 2015.
- ↑ de Moreas, Lisa (January 30, 2017). "Tom Llamas Named Anchor Of ABC's 'World News Tonight' Weekend Editions". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on January 30, 2017. Retrieved January 19, 2023.
- 1 2 Hafner, Josh (October 1, 2018). "Trump insults female reporter: 'You're not thinking. You never do'". USA Today. Archived from the original on October 2, 2018. Retrieved May 18, 2021.
- ↑ Johnson, Ted (January 19, 2021). "ABC News Sets New D.C. Assignments: Cecilia Vega Named Chief White House Correspondent; Jon Karl To Launch ABC News Live Show". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on January 19, 2021. Retrieved January 19, 2021.
- ↑ "Emmy-winning journalist Cecilia Vega joins 60 Minutes". CBS News. January 19, 2023. Archived from the original on January 19, 2023. Retrieved January 19, 2023.
- ↑ Pappu, Sridhar (September 15, 2023). "Is Cecilia Vega TV's Next Diane Sawyer?". Town & Country.
- ↑ Franco, Marina (May 11, 2023). "Cecilia Vega, first Latina 60 Minutes correspondent, on her debut". Axios.
- ↑ Zubrow, Keith (May 14, 2023). "Inside Cecilia Vega's first 60 Minutes story on sperm whales". CBS News.
- ↑ Hernandez, Amairani (November 18, 2024). "Emmy-winning CBS News correspondent for '60 Minutes' Cecilia Vega is National Latina Journalist of the Year". Calo News.
- ↑ "Cecilia Vega of 60 Minutes is National Latina Journalist of the Year". National Association of Hispanic Journalists. November 8, 2024.
- ↑ Steinberg, Brian (May 28, 2026). "Shake Up at '60 Minutes' as CBS News Ousts Executive Producer Tanya Simon, Correspondents Cecilia Vega, Sharyn Alfonsi; Taps Nick Bilton to Run Newsmagazine". Variety. Retrieved May 28, 2026.
- ↑ Johnson, Ted (May 28, 2026). "Cecilia Vega Blasts CBS After Firing From '60 Minutes,' Calls Out "Censorship, Both Imposed And Self-Driven"". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved May 28, 2026.