Senator Wynona Lipman Chair in Women’s Political Leadership 2020

Linsey Davis

Senator Wynona Lipman Chairholder, 2020
ABC News Correspondent

Linsey Davis -- who joined ABC News in 2007 -- is a correspondent filing reports for "World News," "Good Morning America," "20/20" and "Nightline." She also anchors two primetime news hours on ABC News Live. Davis has covered major news stories around the globe, including the Las Vegas massacre, Harvey Weinstein allegations and subsequent #MeToo movement stories, the Boston Marathon bombing, Nairobi Mall massacre and several of former President Barack Obama’s trips overseas. Her coverage ranges from the 2016 presidential election to social injustice and various natural disasters, including the earthquake in Haiti and multiple hurricanes. She also moderated ABC News’ Democratic presidential debates in September 2019 and February 2020. Davis got the only interview with comedian Bill Cosby in the wake of dozens of sexual assault allegations. Leading up to the Iowa caucuses, she interviewed the spouses of seven of the presidential candidates as part of a series called "Running Mates." In 2009, Davis reported on the miracle on the Hudson and Michael Jackson’s death. That same year, she also made waves with her "Nightline" report "Single Black Female." The story, which went viral, examined why African American women are the least likely of any race or gender to walk down the aisle.

Davis joined ABC News as a New York-based correspondent for ABC NewsOne, the network’s affiliate news service. Before joining the network in June 2007, Davis was anchor of the weekend evening newscasts at WTHR-TV in Indianapolis. She started out as a reporter in 2003 and, during her time there, reported from New Orleans in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, from Torino for the 2006 Winter Olympics and from Athens for the 2004 Summer Olympics. From 2001-2003, she was a reporter at WJRT-TV, the ABC owned station in Flint, Michigan. Davis has received several honors for her reporting, including two Emmy Awards and a regional Edward R. Murrow Award. Her children's book, "The World is Awake," became a bestseller in February 2019; and in August 2019, Davis released her second book, "One Big Heart," which also became a bestseller.

Davis earned her undergraduate degree in psychology from the University of Virginia and a Master of Arts degree in communications from New York University.


Ascension 2020: Black Women in Media, Politics, and Power