Joan Lunden is an American journalist, television host, author, and public speaker who became a familiar face to millions of viewers through her long career in broadcast television. She is especially known for her work on Good Morning America, where she served as a co-host for many years and covered news, interviews, lifestyle topics, and major events. Her warm on-screen style and ability to connect with viewers helped make her one of the recognizable television personalities of her generation.
Beyond television, Lunden has built a career as an author, speaker, and advocate. Her personal experiences have also shaped some of her public work, particularly her efforts to raise awareness about breast cancer and family-related issues. This article looks at Joan Lunden’s early life, education, journalism career, family, children, marriage, books, advocacy work, and what she has been doing in recent years.
Joan Lunden Quick Bio
| Detail | Information |
| Full Name | Joan Elise Lunden |
| Born | September 19, 1950 |
| Birthplace | Fair Oaks, California, U.S. |
| Profession | Journalist, Television Host, Author, Speaker |
| Best Known For | Co-hosting Good Morning America |
| Good Morning America | 1980–1997 |
| First Husband | Michael Krauss |
| Current Husband | Jeff Konigsberg |
| Children | Seven |
| Books | Author of more than 10 books |
| Current Work | Journalism, writing, speaking, health and caregiving advocacy |
Who is Joan Lunden
Joan Lunden is an American journalist, television host, author, and speaker whose career in broadcasting has lasted for more than five decades. She became one of the most familiar faces on American morning television through her long-running role on Good Morning America. She joined the program in 1979 and remained part of its anchor team until 1997, working alongside well-known journalists including David Hartman and Charlie Gibson.
Lunden’s career is also known for the way she combined television journalism with new experiences outside the traditional newsroom. During her years in broadcasting, she reported from many countries and covered major events while taking on a wide range of assignments. After Good Morning America, she continued working in television, writing books, speaking publicly, and taking on projects connected to health, caregiving, and aging. Her 2026 memoir, Joan: Life Beyond the Script, looks back at both her television career and the experiences that shaped her life beyond the morning-show desk.
Joan Lunden is best known for her long career in television journalism and her influential role on Good Morning America.
Joan Lunden’s Early Life, Parents and Education
Joan Elise Lunden was born on September 19, 1950, in Fair Oaks, California. She grew up in Sacramento and became interested in communication and broadcasting while she was young. Her father, Erle Murray Blunden, was a physician who also worked as a public speaker and radio host. After completing high school, Lunden attended Sacramento State University, where she studied liberal arts and later earned a degree in Liberal Arts.
Her early interest in radio and television helped shape the direction of her career. Before becoming a national television personality, she gained experience in local broadcasting and developed the interviewing and reporting skills that would later become central to her work.
Joan Lunden’s early education and broadcasting experience helped prepare her for a long career in television journalism.
Joan Lunden’s Early Career in Broadcast Journalism
Lunden began her broadcasting career in Sacramento, working in radio before moving into television. She worked as a reporter and anchor at KCRA-TV, where she gained practical experience covering local news. Her work in California eventually opened the door to national television opportunities.
In 1975, Lunden joined ABC and began working as a reporter for Good Morning America. She took on a variety of assignments and gradually became a more prominent part of the program. Her ability to handle interviews, news stories, and lifestyle features helped establish her as a versatile television journalist.
Lunden built her national career by developing strong reporting and interviewing skills before becoming a leading morning-show host.
Joan Lunden on Good Morning America
Joan Lunden became a major figure on Good Morning America during the late 1970s and 1980s. She became a co-host of the program in 1980 and remained with the show until 1997. During those years, she interviewed politicians, celebrities, newsmakers, and other notable figures while also reporting from different parts of the world.
Her work on the program covered much more than daily news. Lunden reported on important events, traveled internationally for stories, and handled interviews on subjects ranging from family and health to current affairs. Her long tenure helped make her one of the recognizable faces associated with American morning television.
Lunden’s years on Good Morning America became the defining chapter of her television journalism career.
Joan Lunden’s Career After Good Morning America
After leaving Good Morning America in 1997, Lunden continued working in television and expanded her career into writing, speaking, and other media projects. She remained active as a television personality and interviewer while developing projects that reflected her interests in family, health, and caregiving.
Lunden also became an author, writing books on subjects connected to family life, caregiving, and personal experiences. In later years, she continued appearing in media and speaking about issues that mattered to her. Her work after morning television allowed her to build a career that extended beyond the traditional role of a news anchor.
After Good Morning America, Joan Lunden continued her career through television, writing, speaking, and advocacy work.
Joan Lunden’s Books, Television Work and Advocacy
Joan Lunden has built a career that extends beyond her years as a morning television host. She has written books about health, aging, caregiving, family life, and her own experiences. Her books include Wake-Up Calls, A Bend in the Road Is Not the End of the Road, Had I Known: A Memoir of Survival, and Why Did I Come into This Room? Her writing often combines personal stories with practical ideas about handling major changes in life.
Lunden has also remained active in television, public speaking, and advocacy. She hosts Second Opinion with Joan Lunden on PBS and speaks about subjects including health, caregiving, aging, and women’s wellness. After her breast cancer diagnosis in 2014, she became an active voice for breast cancer awareness and has worked with organizations involved in cancer research and health education. Her experience caring for an aging parent also influenced her work supporting family caregivers.
Joan Lunden has expanded her career from television journalism into writing, health advocacy, caregiving, and public speaking.
Who Is Joan Lunden’s Husband Jeff Konigsberg?
Joan Lunden is married to Jeff Konigsberg, whom she married in 2000. Their relationship began after Lunden’s earlier marriage, and the couple built a family together. Konigsberg has largely stayed away from the spotlight compared with his wife, while Lunden has continued her work in television, writing, and speaking.
Their marriage has been part of Lunden’s life during a period when she balanced family responsibilities with a demanding professional career. Lunden has also spoken about the importance of family and the different stages of life in her writing and public work.
Joan Lunden has been married to Jeff Konigsberg since 2000.
Joan Lunden’s Children and Family Life
Joan Lunden is a mother of seven children. She has four older daughters from her previous marriage to Michael Krauss and later welcomed three younger children with Jeff Konigsberg through a surrogate. Her family life has been an important part of her personal story, especially because she continued building her television career while raising children.
Lunden has often discussed the challenges of balancing motherhood and a demanding career. Her experiences as a working mother also became an important part of her 2026 memoir, Joan: Life Beyond the Script, where she reflects on motherhood, work, and the major changes she experienced throughout her life.
Motherhood has been a major part of Joan Lunden’s personal story alongside her long television career.
Joan Lunden’s Breast Cancer Journey and Health Advocacy
Joan Lunden was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2014 after a mammogram and subsequent testing. She chose to speak openly about her experience, including her treatment and recovery, and became an advocate for greater awareness of breast cancer and women’s health. Her experience gave a personal meaning to the health issues she had discussed throughout her broadcasting career.
Her advocacy has continued beyond breast cancer. Through her television work and speaking engagements, Lunden has addressed topics involving women’s health, aging, caregiving, and navigating the healthcare system. Her PBS program, Second Opinion with Joan Lunden, continues to focus on health-related discussions and medical topics.
Lunden turned her own breast cancer experience into a continuing role in health education and advocacy.
Where Is Joan Lunden Now?
Joan Lunden remains active as a journalist, author, television host, and speaker. She continues to be associated with Second Opinion with Joan Lunden, a PBS health program that covers a wide range of medical and wellness subjects. The program remains available through PBS, with recent episodes covering topics such as brain health, stress and women’s health.
In 2026, Lunden has also been active in promoting her memoir and appearing at book events and interviews. She has continued speaking about her career, motherhood, aging, health advocacy, and the changes she has experienced throughout her life.
Joan Lunden remains active through television, writing, speaking and health-focused work.
Joan Lunden’s Recent Book and Current Work
In 2026, Joan Lunden released Joan: Life Beyond the Script, her 11th book and her first memoir focused on her own life and career. The book looks back at her years in television, motherhood, major personal changes, and her experiences as a breast cancer survivor and advocate. It also gives readers a more personal look at the woman behind her television career.
Alongside the book, Lunden continues working as a keynote speaker and television personality. Her current work brings together the subjects that have shaped her later career, including healthcare, caregiving, aging, and women’s issues. Her memoir and recent appearances have also allowed her to reflect on the changes she witnessed in television and society throughout her career.
Joan Lunden’s 2026 memoir marks a new chapter in her continuing work as an author, journalist and advocate.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How old is Joan Lunden?
Joan Lunden was born on September 19, 1950. She is 76 years old as of September 2026.
2. What is Joan Lunden best known for?
Joan Lunden is best known for her long career as a television journalist and her years as a co-host of Good Morning America.
3. When did Joan Lunden leave Good Morning America?
Lunden left Good Morning America in 1997 after nearly two decades with the program.
4. Who is Joan Lunden married to?
Joan Lunden is married to Jeff Konigsberg. They married in 2000.
5. How many children does Joan Lunden have?
Joan Lunden has seven children. Four are from her previous marriage to Michael Krauss, and three were born through a surrogate during her marriage to Jeff Konigsberg.
6. What happened to Joan Lunden?
Joan Lunden was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2014. She underwent treatment and later became an advocate for breast cancer awareness and women’s health.
7. What does Joan Lunden do now?
Joan Lunden continues to work as an author, television host, journalist, and speaker. She is also associated with Second Opinion with Joan Lunden on PBS.
8. What is Joan Lunden’s latest book?
Her 2026 memoir is titled Joan: Life Beyond the Script. It reflects on her television career, family life, health experiences, and other major chapters of her life.
Conclusion
Joan Lunden has built a long and varied career that reaches far beyond her years on Good Morning America. From local broadcasting to national television, she became a familiar face in American journalism while also developing a successful career as an author and speaker.
Her life has also included important personal chapters, including motherhood, marriage, and her experience with breast cancer. Today, Lunden continues to share her experiences through television, writing, speaking, and health advocacy, giving her career a lasting connection with audiences beyond the morning news.
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