Anna Kooiman

Anna Kooiman
Kooiman (right) conducting an interview in 2012
Born	(1984-02-07) February 7, 1984[1] Charlotte, North Carolina
Residence	New York, New York
Nationality	United States
Education	University of North Carolina at Wilmington (2005)
Occupation	Reporter
Years active	2004–present
Employer	Fox News Channel

Anna Kooiman is an American reporter. She serves as a general assignment news reporter for Fox News Channel (FNC) based in New York City. Kooiman joined the network in 2011 and is host on FNC's "FOX & Friends weekend".^[2]she also hosts Fox News Extra segments

Early life

Kooiman grew up in Charlotte, North Carolina, where her parents still live and own businesses – Southeast Oasis Pool and the Peppermint Forest Christmas Shop. Of Dutch ancestry, she went to Myers Park High School (2001 graduate), where she played softball, and also played with the SouthPark Youth Association.^[3]

Career

Kooiman's early work in TV broadcast journalism began with her working as a sideline reporter for Fox Sports during her college years at UNC Wilmington in 2004. After graduation, Kooiman continued her work as a reporter, anchor and video journalist for WWAY in Wilmington, NC in 2005. In January 2007 Kooiman moved to Toledo, Ohio and began working for the local NBC affiliate, WNWO, as morning anchor and reporter. While there, Kooiman served as franchise reporter for a partnership with US Marshals that helped catch over 100 fugitives.^[2]

In May 2008, Kooiman moved back to Charlotte, North Carolina to work as an Anchor/Reporter/Host for "Fox News Rising," a four-hour news and entertainment morning show on the then-FOX affiliate WCCB (as of 2013, WCCB became a CW-affiliated network). While at WCCB-TV, she reported on local news stories, entertainment, weather, and traffic.^[2] In December 2011, her position changed to a Fox News Channel New York-based correspondent covering health and fitness as well as general assignment reporting.^[4] She has been ridiculed by various news outlets over comments she made on a "Fox and Friends" broadcast on 28th December 2014 that were interpreted as implying that pilot training in the metric system could explain the disappearance of flight Air Asia QZ8501.^{[5] [6] [7] [8]} In a Twitter post, she cites a July 30, 1983 New York Times article to justify her earlier comments on the possible relationship of the metric system and the crash. ^[9]

Personal life

Kooiman served as the philanthropy chair of her sorority, Alpha Delta Pi. Beginning in August 2008, Kooiman was a Fitness Instructor in Charlotte. She is AFAA and Turbo Kick Certified. She taught up to 10 classes each week. She also served as a fitness instructor to kids in an inner-city after-school program.^[10][11] While working for WNWO-TV (NBC) in Toledo, Kooiman ran the 2008 Glass City Marathon in 3:27:22 and finished 3rd overall in the Women's division.^[12] In April 2014, Kooiman completed the Boston Marathon while reporting on the race and conducting interviews for Fox News Channel.^[13] The event, one of the World Marathon Majors and run annually since 1897, always attracts worldwide attention, but after the previous year's bombings it drew extra media attention. In November 2014, Kooiman raised over $55,000 on Crowdrise and in direct donations to "Folds of Honor" while running the New York City Marathon^[14] in 3:54:15 with Major Dan Rooney. The organization provides scholarships and assistance to families of American troops who died or were injured in service to their country.^[15]

On February 8, 2015, Kooiman announced her engagement on her Facebook page. She became engaged while on a personal vacation to Australia; her fiance proposing to her while both were watching the sunrise over Sydney Harbour.^[16][17]

References