Hena Doba: NewsNation| Bio, Age, CBS, Height, Family, Salary & Net Worth
Biography and Career
Hena Doba is a dynamic Pakistani-American journalist currently serving as an anchor at NewsNation, where she helms the weekend edition of Morning in America. Prior to joining NewsNation, she was widely recognized for anchoring The National Desk with Hena Doba at CBS News, where she also worked as a national correspondent, covering finance and political stories across the country. She also served as an anchor and correspondent for Cheddar News, a financial news network known for its innovative approach to business and tech coverage.
Doba’s journalism journey began just two days after graduating college, when she took a job as a producer at Newswatch 50 in Watertown, New York. Her first on-air experience came unexpectedly during the September 11 attacks, when she picked up a camcorder while visiting family in Queens and documented the unfolding chaos in the streets.
Throughout her early career, Doba faced significant challenges as one of the few women of color in broadcast news. She has spoken candidly about the racist backlash she encountered, including offensive viewer emails that questioned her presence on air. Still, she pressed forward, committed to increasing representation and authenticity in journalism.
After her time in Watertown, she moved to Savannah, Georgia, as a reporter, then later joined WFSB-TV in Hartford, Connecticut, as a weekend anchor. There, she broke barriers, becoming the first person to anchor a national news program at 4 a.m. and one of the first Pakistani Americans to host a major news broadcast.
In 2019, she transitioned to Cheddar News, where she appreciated the editorial freedom to craft her own segments and pursue impactful interviews. Her work continued to focus on business and consumer stories, including live reports from the New York Stock Exchange.
In addition to her broadcast work, Hena also gave back to the next generation of journalists as an adjunct professor at Capital Community College and the Connecticut School of Broadcasting.
On January 11, 2024, Nexstar Media Group and NewsNation officially announced her as the anchor of the weekend edition of Morning in America, which premiered on January 27, 2024 and now airs every Saturday and Sunday from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. ET.
Hena Doba Early Life
Doba was born in Jackson Heights, Queens, to Pakistani immigrant parents, Tahmina Faraz and Agha M. Zulfiquar. She is the eldest of four children, growing up with three younger sisters in a multilingual household where Urdu was spoken fluently.
Throughout her childhood, Hena lived in several diverse neighborhoods across Queens, including Jamaica, Elmhurst, College Point, Rosedale, and her birthplace, Jackson Heights. She graduated from Flushing High School.
Initially planning to pursue a career in psychology, Hena discovered her passion for journalism while attending the University at Buffalo. As a student, she became the feature editor of the campus newspaper, The Spectrum, which sparked her interest in storytelling and news reporting. She graduated in 2002 with a dual Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and English.
Education
Hena is a graduate of Flushing High School in Queens and earned dual bachelor’s degrees in English and Psychology from the University at Buffalo. During college, she also served as Feature Editor of the school’s newspaper, The Spectrum.
Age and Background
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Date of Birth: December 4, 1977
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Age: 47 (as of 2025)
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Place of Birth: Queens, New York, USA
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Ethnicity: Pakistani-American
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Citizenship: American
She was born Hena Nadia Daniels to Pakistani immigrant parents, and raised speaking Urdu. Her upbringing took place across various Queens neighborhoods including Jamaica, Elmhurst, College Point, Rosedale, and Jackson Heights. She is the eldest of four siblings and has three younger brothers.
Hena Doba Height/Measurements
Hena Doba stands at an estimated 5 feet 5 inches (1.65 meters).
Family and Personal Life
Parents
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Mother: Tahmina Faraz
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Father: Agha M. Zulfiquar
Marriage/Husband
Hena is married to Andrew Ronald Doba, a seasoned political and media strategist. Andrew formerly served as Communications Director for Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy and currently works as Communications Director for Vineyard Wind, a renewable energy firm. He is a Fordham University graduate and holds a Master’s degree in English from Hunter College.
The couple first met in December 2013 when Andrew was a guest on a political show at WFSB, where Hena was anchoring. Their introduction was arranged by her co-anchor.
Hena Doba Wedding
Hena and Andrew were married on January 23, 2016, in a beautiful ceremony held at the Society Room of Hartford, officiated by former Governor Dannel P. Malloy.
Hena Doba NewsNation
Hena Doba joined NewsNation in 2024 as the anchor of the weekend edition of Morning in America, airing Saturdays and Sundays from 7 to 10 a.m. ET.
Before joining NewsNation, Doba spent five years at Cheddar News, where she wore multiple hats—including hosting the morning show Wake Up with Cheddar. Prior to that, she was a national anchor and correspondent at CBS News, where she led The National Desk with Hena Daniels from 2015 to 2019. During her time at CBS, she reported on major national and international stories and delivered live updates from the New York Stock Exchange to affiliates across the country.
Earlier in her career, Doba anchored the 11 p.m. newscast at WFSB-TV in Hartford, Connecticut, and served as a general assignment reporter at WTOC-TV in Savannah, Georgia, and WGCL-TV in Atlanta. She began her broadcast journalism journey at WWTI-TV (ABC50) in Watertown, New York.
In addition to her work on air, Doba has shared her industry knowledge as an adjunct professor at both Capital Community College and the Connecticut School of Broadcasting.
She holds dual bachelor’s degrees in Psychology and English from the University at Buffalo, where she also served as the Features Editor for the university’s student newspaper, The Spectrum, before graduating in 2002.
Career Highlights and Recognitions
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Hosted The National Desk with Hena Doba on CBS News, airing across 100+ CBS stations
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Reported live from the New York Stock Exchange, focusing on economic, business, and consumer news
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Joined Cheddar News in 2019 as an anchor and correspondent
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Taught journalism and communications for over five years as an adjunct professor
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Recipient of several journalism awards, including:
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Associated Press Award for Best Spot News
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Best Breaking News
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Best Sports Feature
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Hena Doba Salary and Net Worth
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Estimated Salary: $90,000 annually
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Estimated Net Worth: $3 million
Her income stems from her prolific career as a journalist, anchor, correspondent, and educator.
