Jenna Bush Hager: From Teacher to Television Personality and Author
Jenna Welch Bush Hager, born on November 25, 1981, is an American news personality, author, journalist, and co-host of NBC News’ TODAY with Hoda & Jenna. She is the daughter of former U.S. President George W. Bush and former First Lady Laura Bush, and granddaughter of President George H.W. Bush. Her career path has taken her from teaching to television, and she has also become a successful author.
Early Life and Education
Jenna Welch Bush was born in Dallas, Texas, after her twin sister Barbara. She was named after her maternal grandmother, Jenna Hawkins Welch. During her early years in Dallas, she attended Preston Hollow Elementary School and The Hockaday School. In 1994, when her father was elected Governor of Texas, the family moved to Austin, where Jenna attended St. Andrew's Episcopal School and Austin High School, graduating in 2000.
Following in her mother's footsteps, Jenna became a legacy member of Kappa Alpha Theta sorority. In 2004, she graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in English. She also took summer classes at New York University.
Early Career: Teaching and UNICEF Internship
Before transitioning to a career in media, Jenna Bush Hager dedicated herself to education. She began her career as an elementary school teacher in Washington D.C. in 2005. Later, she worked as a teacher's aide at Elsie Whitlow Stokes Community Freedom Public Charter School for a year and a half in the mid-2000s.
In the summer of 2006, she took a leave of absence to participate in an internship with UNICEF's Educational Policy Department in Latin America. During this internship, she worked in a shelter and visited drought-stricken Paraguay. These experiences profoundly impacted her and inspired her to write her first book.
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Author and Advocate
In 2007, Jenna Bush Hager authored "Ana's Story: A Journey of Hope," which chronicles her experiences working with UNICEF-sponsored charities in Latin America. The book tells the story of a 17-year-old single mother with HIV and highlights the challenges she faces. Jenna donated her share of the book's profits to UNICEF, while the remainder went to the young woman whose life inspired the book, assisting in her continuing education.
"Ana's Story: A Journey of Hope" became a New York Times bestseller, raising awareness about the issues faced by children and families in Latin America. During the book tour, Hager appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show.
She has also co-authored several books:
- Read All About It! (2008) - co-authored with her mother, Laura Bush, this children's book encourages young people to read.
- Our Great Big Backyard (2016) - co-authored with her mother, Laura Bush, this children's book celebrates the beauty of nature.
- Sisters First: Stories from Our Wild and Wonderful Life (2017) - co-authored with her twin sister, Barbara Bush, this memoir shares personal stories and insights into their lives. It also became a New York Times bestseller.
- Everything Beautiful in Its Time: Seasons of Love and Loss (2020) - a collection of essays about her grandparents and the wisdom they passed on to her.
Jenna Bush Hager is also involved with UNICEF and is currently the chair of its Next Generation initiative, which is dedicated to reducing childhood deaths around the world.
Television Career
Jenna Bush Hager's career in television began in 2009 when she joined NBC News as a correspondent and contributor to TODAY. She made her first appearance as a correspondent for "Today" in 2010 and began working her way up the on-air hierarchy. Over time, her role on Today grew.
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In August 2009, she officially joined TODAY. She has conducted a wide range of interviews with notable figures, including former First Lady Michelle Obama, First Daughter Ashley Biden, Reese Witherspoon, Joanna Gaines, Katherine Schwarzenegger, and fellow First Daughter Susan Ford Bales.
In 2012, she received a Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Morning Show as part of her work on TODAY. In 2011, she was honored as one of Glamour’s Women of the Year alongside her mother and sister.
In 2018, she interviewed Michelle Obama in a discussion about her life in the White House, the challenges of raising her daughters in the spotlight, and her book, Becoming. They also discussed the political atmosphere and political bipartisanship, with Obama stating that, despite their political differences, Hager's father, George W.
In March 2019, Jenna started "Read with Jenna," a monthly book club on Today Show. In April 2019, she began co-hosting the fourth hour of Today with Hoda Kotb, which is now called TODAY with Hoda & Jenna.
In 2019, Jenna founded TODAY’s wildly popular Read With Jenna book club, with nearly 50 of her selections becoming New York Times bestsellers. In 2022, Jenna expanded her book club to include children's books, called Read with Jenna Jr.
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In 2021, Hager reacted emotionally to the storming of the United States Capitol, stating live on air: "I have had the privilege of standing on those steps for several inaugurations, not just for family members but for the first black president of the United States of America. I kissed my grandfather goodbye in that rotunda."
In February 2022, Jenna Bush Hager created her production company, Thousand Voices, which recently announced its brand-new publishing imprint with Random House Publishing Group. Jenna Bush Hager is also an editor-at-large for Southern Living magazine.
Personal Life
Jenna met Henry Chase Hager during the 2004 presidential campaign. They became engaged in August 2007. Before proposing, Hager asked President Bush for permission to marry his daughter. He holds an MBA from the Darden Graduate School of Business Administration at the University of Virginia. He has worked as a Department of Commerce aide and as a White House aide. He is the son of former Virginia Republican Party Chairman John H. Hager, who served as a Department of Education Assistant Secretary under George W. Bush.
The wedding took place during a private ceremony on May 10, 2008, at her parents' Prairie Chapel Ranch, near Crawford, Texas.
Jenna and Henry have three children: daughters Margaret Laura “Mila” Hager (born April 13, 2013) and Poppy Louise Hager (born August 13, 2015), and a son, Hal.
Unlike most of her relatives, Jenna Bush Hager does not identify with the Republican Party. She and her twin sister, Barbara, consider themselves independent.
Public Image and Other Ventures
Beyond her work in media and literature, Jenna Bush Hager has occasionally found herself in the public eye for other reasons.
In 2014, it was reported that she was mistakenly registered with New York's Independence Party. She and her sister have stated that they are both very independent.
In February 2021, Jenna Bush Hager, along with Chelsea Clinton and other notable women, became part of an investment group in the National Women's Soccer League's Washington Spirit.
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