Hoda Kotb (born August 9, 1964) is a prominent American broadcast journalist best known as the main co-anchor of NBC's Today show from 2018 to 2025. She made history in January 2018 when she and Savannah Guthrie became the first female anchor duo to lead the program, following Matt Lauer's dismissal. Before that, she joined NBC in 1998 as a Dateline correspondent and co-hosted the show's entertainment-focused fourth hour from 2007 until her departure in January 2025. Born in Oklahoma to Egyptian Muslim parents and a Virginia Tech graduate, Kotb briefly returned to Today in early 2026 to fill in for Guthrie. Beyond broadcasting, she is a New York Times bestselling author, having published memoirs and inspirational books like Hoda (2010) and Ten Years Later (2013).