Elizabeth Brackett
Encyclopedia
Elizabeth Brackett is a Chicago-based correspondent and host for WTTW
-TV's Chicago Tonight
program, a correspondent for PBS
' The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer
and an author. She is also a World Champion Triathlete; she took the title in 2009 held in Sydney Australia
in Winnetka, Illinois
and earned an undergraduate degree from Indiana University
. She also holds a master's degree on social work from Our Lady of the Lake College
.
neighborhood of Chicago. She also worked for the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services as a social worker and also as a community organizer in Uptown.
, along with Jesse Jackson
and William "Bill" Singer. In 1975, Brackett served as a fundraiser and advance director for Singer's unsuccessful bid to be mayor of Chicago. In 1976, she unsuccessfully ran for a seat as a committeeman in Chicago's 43rd ward.
in Chicago. In 1979, she joined WGN-TV
in Chicago. She later became a reporter at WLS-TV
in Chicago. She then joined the forerunner to PBS' The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer
, based from Chicago, in 1984.
Brackett won a national Emmy award in 1987 for her reporting on the U.S. farm crisis. The following year, she won a national Peabody Award
for her coverage of the 1988 presidential election. She also has won three Midwest Emmy awards and two Peter Lisagor awards as well.
In 1991, Brackett began appearing occasionally on WTTW
's Chicago Tonight
public-affairs program.
In 1994, Brackett was hired full-time as a correspondent for Chicago Tonight
. Under the agreement, she was permitted to contribute to what would eventually become PBS
' The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer
.
From 2000 until 2001, Brackett, along with journalist and comedian Aaron Freeman
, co-hosted a science-themed spin-off of Chicago Tonight
called Chicago Tomorrow.
Brackett lives in the Hyde Park
neighborhood of Chicago.
WTTW
WTTW channel 11 is one of three Public Broadcasting Service member public television stations serving the Chicago, Illinois market; the others are WYCC and WYIN. WTTW began broadcasting on September 6, 1955 and it is owned and operated by Window to the World Communications, Inc., a not-for-profit...
-TV's Chicago Tonight
Chicago Tonight
Chicago Tonight is an evening television news program broadcast weeknights on WTTW in Chicago. Chicago Tonight reports primarily on local news and presents features showcasing local artists and events. The show started in 1984 and for 15 years popular Chicago broadcast journalist John Callaway...
program, a correspondent for PBS
Public Broadcasting Service
The Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
' The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer
The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer
PBS NewsHour is an evening television news program broadcast weeknights on the Public Broadcasting Service in the United States. The show is produced by MacNeil/Lehrer Productions, a company co-owned by former anchors Jim Lehrer and Robert MacNeil, and Liberty Media, which owns a 65% stake in the...
and an author. She is also a World Champion Triathlete; she took the title in 2009 held in Sydney Australia
Early life and education
Brackett attended New Trier High SchoolNew Trier High School
New Trier High School is a public four-year high school , with its major campus located in Winnetka, Illinois, USA, and a second campus in Northfield, Illinois, with freshman classes and district administration...
in Winnetka, Illinois
Winnetka, Illinois
Winnetka is an affluent North Shore village located approximately north of downtown Chicago in Cook County, Illinois. Winnetka was featured on the list of America's 25 top-earning towns and "one of the best places to live" by CNN Money in 2011...
and earned an undergraduate degree from Indiana University
Indiana University
Indiana University is a multi-campus public university system in the state of Indiana, United States. Indiana University has a combined student body of more than 100,000 students, including approximately 42,000 students enrolled at the Indiana University Bloomington campus and approximately 37,000...
. She also holds a master's degree on social work from Our Lady of the Lake College
Our Lady of the Lake College
Our Lady of the Lake College is a private, independent Catholic institution located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States. It is sponsored by the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady, North American Province. It was started in 1923 as Our Lady of the Lake School of Nursing to educate students to...
.
Social work career
After graduating from Our Lady of the Lake College, Brackett worked part time as a social worker at the YMCA in the UptownUptown, Chicago
Uptown is one of Chicago’s 77 community areas. Uptown has well defined boundaries. They are: Foster on the north; Lake Michigan on the east; Montrose , and Irving Park on the south; Ravenswood , and Clark on the west. Uptown borders three community areas and Lake Michigan...
neighborhood of Chicago. She also worked for the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services as a social worker and also as a community organizer in Uptown.
Political career
In 1972, Brackett was a delegate to the Democratic presidential convention in Miami1976 Democratic National Convention
The 1976 Democratic National Convention met at Madison Square Garden in New York City, from July 12 to July 15, 1976. The assembled United States Democratic Party delegates at the convention nominated Governor Jimmy Carter of Georgia for President and Senator Walter Mondale of Minnesota for Vice...
, along with Jesse Jackson
Jesse Jackson
Jesse Louis Jackson, Sr. is an African-American civil rights activist and Baptist minister. He was a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1984 and 1988 and served as shadow senator for the District of Columbia from 1991 to 1997. He was the founder of both entities that merged to...
and William "Bill" Singer. In 1975, Brackett served as a fundraiser and advance director for Singer's unsuccessful bid to be mayor of Chicago. In 1976, she unsuccessfully ran for a seat as a committeeman in Chicago's 43rd ward.
Journalism career
In 1977, Brackett took a job as a researcher on the assignment desk of WBBM-TVWBBM-TV
WBBM-TV, virtual channel 2 , is the CBS owned-and-operated television station in Chicago, Illinois. WBBM-TV's main studios and offices are located in The Loop section of Chicago, as part of the development at Block 37, and its transmitter is atop the Willis Tower.-History:WBBM-TV traces its history...
in Chicago. In 1979, she joined WGN-TV
WGN-TV
WGN-TV, virtual channel 9 , is the CW-affiliated television station in Chicago, Illinois built, signed on, and owned by the Tribune Company. WGN-TV's studios and offices are located at 2501 W...
in Chicago. She later became a reporter at WLS-TV
WLS-TV
WLS-TV, virtual channel 7, is an owned-and-operated television station of the Walt Disney Company-owned American Broadcasting Company, located in Chicago, Illinois, USA. The station operates their full power digital operations on UHF channel 44, with their digital fill-in translator on VHF channel...
in Chicago. She then joined the forerunner to PBS' The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer
The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer
PBS NewsHour is an evening television news program broadcast weeknights on the Public Broadcasting Service in the United States. The show is produced by MacNeil/Lehrer Productions, a company co-owned by former anchors Jim Lehrer and Robert MacNeil, and Liberty Media, which owns a 65% stake in the...
, based from Chicago, in 1984.
Brackett won a national Emmy award in 1987 for her reporting on the U.S. farm crisis. The following year, she won a national Peabody Award
Peabody Award
The George Foster Peabody Awards recognize distinguished and meritorious public service by radio and television stations, networks, producing organizations and individuals. In 1939, the National Association of Broadcasters formed a committee to recognize outstanding achievement in radio broadcasting...
for her coverage of the 1988 presidential election. She also has won three Midwest Emmy awards and two Peter Lisagor awards as well.
In 1991, Brackett began appearing occasionally on WTTW
WTTW
WTTW channel 11 is one of three Public Broadcasting Service member public television stations serving the Chicago, Illinois market; the others are WYCC and WYIN. WTTW began broadcasting on September 6, 1955 and it is owned and operated by Window to the World Communications, Inc., a not-for-profit...
's Chicago Tonight
Chicago Tonight
Chicago Tonight is an evening television news program broadcast weeknights on WTTW in Chicago. Chicago Tonight reports primarily on local news and presents features showcasing local artists and events. The show started in 1984 and for 15 years popular Chicago broadcast journalist John Callaway...
public-affairs program.
In 1994, Brackett was hired full-time as a correspondent for Chicago Tonight
Chicago Tonight
Chicago Tonight is an evening television news program broadcast weeknights on WTTW in Chicago. Chicago Tonight reports primarily on local news and presents features showcasing local artists and events. The show started in 1984 and for 15 years popular Chicago broadcast journalist John Callaway...
. Under the agreement, she was permitted to contribute to what would eventually become PBS
Public Broadcasting Service
The Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
' The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer
The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer
PBS NewsHour is an evening television news program broadcast weeknights on the Public Broadcasting Service in the United States. The show is produced by MacNeil/Lehrer Productions, a company co-owned by former anchors Jim Lehrer and Robert MacNeil, and Liberty Media, which owns a 65% stake in the...
.
From 2000 until 2001, Brackett, along with journalist and comedian Aaron Freeman
Aaron Freeman
Aaron Freeman is an American journalist, stand up comedian, author, cartoonist and blogger.Freeman has performed with The Second City. As a stand up comedian, he is a member of the quartet the Israeli/Palestinian Comedy Tour...
, co-hosted a science-themed spin-off of Chicago Tonight
Chicago Tonight
Chicago Tonight is an evening television news program broadcast weeknights on WTTW in Chicago. Chicago Tonight reports primarily on local news and presents features showcasing local artists and events. The show started in 1984 and for 15 years popular Chicago broadcast journalist John Callaway...
called Chicago Tomorrow.
Writing career
In 2009, a book Brackett wrote, titled Pay to Play, How Rod Blagojevich Turned Political Corruption Into a National Sideshow was published. The book is about the former Illinois governor.Personal
Brackett married Peter Martinez on September 27, 1998. A previous marriage ended in divorce. She has two children from her first marriage: Elisabeth (born circa 1967) and Jon (born circa 1970).Brackett lives in the Hyde Park
Hyde Park, Chicago
Hyde Park, located on the South Side of the City of Chicago, in Cook County, Illinois, United States and seven miles south of the Chicago Loop, is a Chicago neighborhood and one of 77 Chicago community areas. It is home to the University of Chicago, the Hyde Park Art Center, the Museum of Science...
neighborhood of Chicago.