Lisa Desjardins is a famous and experienced American journalist who currently works with PBS NewsHour as a correspondent. She is an old face in the world of reporting, having tested the waters in various platforms of the media; print, television, and radio. Prior to joining the PBS NewsHour, she previously worked with CNN network before getting a dismissal. Today, she stands out as one of the most experienced, talented, mature, and well-respected media icons in the industry.
Lisa Desjardins’ Age and Biography
The date of birth of the media personality has not yet been established, although it has been speculated that she was born between 1971 and 1972 in Hawaii, United States of America and was raised in Annandale, Virginia by her father, Thomas Bohner Goddard, who previously worked in the Navy and later as a teacher, and her mother Patricia Flanagan.
She was brought up alongside a brother, Thomas, and a sister, Carolyn. The marriage between her parents did not work out for long and so, her father proceeded to get married again to Joan H. Goddard with whom he had 7 children. Talking about her racial background, the broadcaster is an American by nationality and belongs to the white ethnic group.
While growing up as a little girl, she developed a liking for journalism, thanks to the inspiration she got from her mother, whom she always accompanied to work at campaign phone banks. It was her mother’s political dexterity and all she learned from her that further pushes the young girl to consider a career in journalism.
As per her educational background and status, Desjardins is well schooled and very educated. Though there is no detail in respect of the high school she attended, she enrolled at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, in 1990 and graduated in 1994 with a Bachelor’s degree in Economics. She spent two years in Russia at Herzan University in St. Petersburg where she studied Russian. In 1996, she was at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism and graduated in 1997 with an M.sc in Journalism.
PBS News Career
Lisa Desjardins is mostly popular for her career with PBS NewsHour but before she joined the station, the experienced broadcaster had worked with several media outfits from television to radio, and print. She started the career journey in 1998 in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, where she worked with WBTW as a broadcaster. After spending just a year there, she was fired and later began working as a freelance reporter for Reuters and Myrtle Beach’s The Sun News.
Later in 1999, she got engaged with WIS, an NBC affiliated station with which she worked for the next four years as a political correspondent. From 2003 to 2005, Lisa Desjardins worked with Associated Press as a reporter and it was after this that she proceeded to join CNN, thanks to the previous experiences she has gathered. She spent 9 years working for the network until she was dismissed alongside other colleagues in 2014. While there, she first worked with CNN Radio until it was shut down in 2013 and then she moved to the Washington Bureau of the network as a reporter.
Her incredible track-record became her selling-point and it didn’t take long before PBS NewsHour came knocking on her doors. In October 2014, she joined the media outfit as a correspondent, and climbed up through the ladder and became a Political Director.
See Also: Joss Fong – Bio, Age, Height, Net Worth, All About The Journalist
Parents, Husband, and Baby
As indicated, the parents of the media personality are Thomas B. Goddard and Patricia Flanagan. Her father served with the US Navy in different parts of the world including Morocco and Italy. When he was through with his military service, he went to Northern Virginia Community College where he spent 18 years teaching. Unfortunately, he passed away in 2017 at the age of 85.
There is, however, not so much that is known about her mother, except that she once worked in a call center and had a strong bond with her.
Lisa Desjardins is in a happy marriage with the love of her life, Jason Desjardins. They tied the knot in a secret wedding ceremony in 2007. Close to 10 years after getting married, they had no child until in 2016 when they welcomed their first baby, Maximo Maurice who was born on 4th March. The couple is enjoying quality family time in their home in Alexandria, Virginia.
