Katrina Szish
Encyclopedia
Katrina Szish is an American television personality, broadcaster and journalist, who is currently a contributor for The Early Show
on CBS News
. Szish has a prestigious background in journalism, which she has held numerous positions at fashion magazines, including YM
, VOGUE
, and GQ magazine
. She has worked alongside Barbara Walters
, Larry King
, Diane Sawyer
and Bill O’Reilly
. Szish has appeared at the Oscar Awards and has interviewed celebrities and designers, including Justin Timberlake
and Oleg Cassini
(she conducted the last known televised interview with him for ABC News
prior to his death in 2006), Szish currently lives in New York City
with her husband, former J.Crew
model and Dartmouth
graduate Bran Stead.
, where she grew up an only child, the daughter of Dr. Ronald C. Szish and Maureen Szish. At 13, she was named a national finalist in YM magazine’s
cover model
contest and was featured in a fashion editorial spread shot by Patrick Demarchelier
. She then signed on with CLICK modeling agency
in NYC and World Top agency in Tokyo
, and continued modeling for clients such as L'Oréal
and Shiseido
through the early 1990s. She graduated from Wyomissing High School at the top of her class in 1990 and was accepted into the Medill School of Journalism
at Northwestern University
. After completing her sophomore year at Northwestern, she took a year off after being accepted into an internship program with CNN
’s Political Investigation Unit in Washington, DC. Szish then transferred to Harvard University
where she was a member of the Hasty Pudding Club
, wrote for The Harvard Crimson
and was a member of the college television station
. In 1996, after writing a thesis
on fashion, film
and concepts of identity
, she graduated cum laude from Harvard with a BA degree in English & American Literature and Language.
in New York City, Szish joined GQ magazine
as an editorial assistant and writer. She was later named a fashion writer/editor
at VOGUE
, where she wrote and edited “Scoop”, a monthly trend column in addition to covering Fashion Week
and writing feature articles for the magazine. In 2000, she was named Editor In Chief/Special Issues and Fashion Features Director for YM, and in 2001, she returned to GQ as Senior Editor and worked for her mentor, Art Cooper, until his retirement in 2003. Szish returned to broadcasting and worked as a freelance producer and on-camera reporter for VOGUE’s Trend Watch, a television show.
. From 2004 to 2007 Szish covered breaking celebrity news, style and pop culture and logged numerous television appearances on The Today Show
, The Early Show
, Good Morning America
, The View, Entertainment Tonight
, 20/20, Larry King Live
, The O'Reilly Factor
, Access Hollywood
, Inside Edition
, MTV
, VH-1, The History Channel
, MSNBC
, HLN and CNN
. Szish simultaneously served as a contributing anchor and host for ABC News Now
and ABC News on MTV-U, as a columnist for ABCNEWS.com and as a correspondent for E!
’s “The Daily 10” and “Fashion Police”. In 2006, Szish and her husband were tapped by The Food Network to co-host a destination spa special. In 2007, Szish was named National Correspondent for InStyle,. While at InStyle, Szish made regular appearances on The Today Show, TBS Movie and a Makeover
, CNN, CBS’ The Early Show, and she garnered a recurring role on “Tim Gunn's Guide to Style
” on BRAVO. In 2009, Szish left her full-time position at InStyle to pursue independent broadcasting, marketing
and new media
projects. She worked with Toni Senecal
and WPIX
Channel 11 as lifestyle correspondent for “Toni On New York.” She remains a regular contributor to TBS
’ “Movie & A Makeover,” CNN, HLN, CBS
, Fox News Channel
and Fox Business Network
.
Szish is a public speaker, addressing women and teens on life lessons and career advice. She is also involved in a variety of animal charity organizations such as Center for Animal Care and Control
The Early Show
The Early Show is an American television morning news talk show broadcast by CBS from New York City. The program airs live from 7 to 9 a.m. Eastern Time Monday through Friday; most affiliates in the Central, Mountain, and Pacific time zones air the show on tape-delay from 7 to 9 a.m. local time. ...
on CBS News
CBS News
CBS News is the news division of American television and radio network CBS. The current chairman is Jeff Fager who is also the executive producer of 60 Minutes, while the current president of CBS News is David Rhodes. CBS News' flagship program is the CBS Evening News, hosted by the network's main...
. Szish has a prestigious background in journalism, which she has held numerous positions at fashion magazines, including YM
YM (magazine)
YM was an American teen magazine that began in 1932. It was published for 72 years and was the second-oldest girls' magazine in the United States...
, VOGUE
Vogue (magazine)
Vogue is a fashion and lifestyle magazine that is published monthly in 18 national and one regional edition by Condé Nast.-History:In 1892 Arthur Turnure founded Vogue as a weekly publication in the United States. When he died in 1909, Condé Montrose Nast picked up the magazine and slowly began...
, and GQ magazine
GQ (magazine)
GQ is a monthly men's magazine focusing on fashion, style, and culture for men, through articles on food, movies, fitness, sex, music, travel, sports, technology, and books...
. She has worked alongside Barbara Walters
Barbara Walters
Barbara Jill Walters is an American broadcast journalist, author, and television personality. She has hosted morning television shows , the television newsmagazine , former co-anchor of the ABC Evening News, and current contributor to ABC News.Walters was first known as a popular TV morning news...
, Larry King
Larry King
Lawrence Harvey "Larry" King is an American television and radio host whose work has been recognized with awards including two Peabodys and ten Cable ACE Awards....
, Diane Sawyer
Diane Sawyer
Lila Diane Sawyer is the current anchor of ABC News' flagship program, ABC World News. Previously, Sawyer had been co-anchor of ABC Newss morning news program, Good Morning America ....
and Bill O’Reilly
Bill O'Reilly (political commentator)
William James "Bill" O'Reilly, Jr. is an American television host, author, syndicated columnist and political commentator. He is the host of the political commentary program The O'Reilly Factor on the Fox News Channel, which is the most watched cable news television program on American television...
. Szish has appeared at the Oscar Awards and has interviewed celebrities and designers, including Justin Timberlake
Justin Timberlake
Justin Randall Timberlake is an American pop musician and actor. He achieved early fame when he appeared as a contestant on Star Search, and went on to star in the Disney Channel television series The New Mickey Mouse Club, where he met future bandmate JC Chasez...
and Oleg Cassini
Oleg Cassini
Oleg Cassini was a French-born American fashion designer noted for being chosen by Jacqueline Kennedy to design her state wardrobe in the 1960s....
(she conducted the last known televised interview with him for ABC News
ABC News
ABC News is the news gathering and broadcasting division of American broadcast television network ABC, a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company...
prior to his death in 2006), Szish currently lives in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
with her husband, former J.Crew
J.Crew
J.Crew Group, Inc. is a multi-brand, multi-channel, specialty retailer. The company offers an assortment of women's, men's and children's apparel and accessories, including swimwear, outerwear, loungewear, wedding, bags, hair accessories, belts, jewelry, and shoes. As of January 30, 2010, it...
model and Dartmouth
Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College is a private, Ivy League university in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. The institution comprises a liberal arts college, Dartmouth Medical School, Thayer School of Engineering, and the Tuck School of Business, as well as 19 graduate programs in the arts and sciences...
graduate Bran Stead.
Biography
Szish was born in Wyomissing, PennsylvaniaWyomissing, Pennsylvania
Wyomissing is a borough in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States, established on July 2, 1906. The population was 8,587 at the 2000 census, but after the January, 2002 merger with neighboring Wyomissing Hills, the combined 2000 Census estimate was 11,155 making it the most populous borough in...
, where she grew up an only child, the daughter of Dr. Ronald C. Szish and Maureen Szish. At 13, she was named a national finalist in YM magazine’s
YM (magazine)
YM was an American teen magazine that began in 1932. It was published for 72 years and was the second-oldest girls' magazine in the United States...
cover model
Cover Model
"Cover Model" is a pop song by Sabrina. It was released in 1992 as Sabrina's second non-album single. The song was produced by DJ Mori. Unlike Sabrina's previous singles "Yeah Yeah" and the Jo Squillo-collaboration "Siamo Donne", both of which had been performed on TV numerous times, "Cover Model"...
contest and was featured in a fashion editorial spread shot by Patrick Demarchelier
Patrick Demarchelier
Patrick Demarchelier is a French fashion photographer.-Life:Born near Paris in 1943 to a modest family, he spent his childhood in Le Havre with his mother and four brothers. For his seventeenth birthday, his stepfather bought him his first Eastman Kodak camera...
. She then signed on with CLICK modeling agency
Modeling agency
A modeling agency is a company that represents fashion models, to work for the fashion industry. These agencies earn their income via commission, usually from the deal they make with the model and or the head agency....
in NYC and World Top agency in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, and continued modeling for clients such as L'Oréal
L'Oréal
The L'Oréal Group is the world's largest cosmetics and beauty company. With its registered office in Paris and head office in the Paris suburb of Clichy, Hauts-de-Seine, France, it has developed activities in the field of cosmetics...
and Shiseido
Shiseido
is a major Japanese hair care and cosmetics producer. It is the oldest cosmetics company in the world and the fourth largest cosmetics company in the world.-History:...
through the early 1990s. She graduated from Wyomissing High School at the top of her class in 1990 and was accepted into the Medill School of Journalism
Medill School of Journalism
The Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications is a constituent school of Northwestern University which offers both undergraduate and graduate programs. It has consistently been one of the top-ranked schools in Journalism in the United States...
at Northwestern University
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
. After completing her sophomore year at Northwestern, she took a year off after being accepted into an internship program with CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
’s Political Investigation Unit in Washington, DC. Szish then transferred to Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
where she was a member of the Hasty Pudding Club
Hasty Pudding Club
The Hasty Pudding Club is a social club for Harvard students. It was founded by Nymphus Hatch, a junior at Harvard College, in 1770. The club is named for the traditional American dish that the founding members ate at their first meeting...
, wrote for The Harvard Crimson
The Harvard Crimson
The Harvard Crimson, the daily student newspaper of Harvard University, was founded in 1873. It is the only daily newspaper in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and is run entirely by Harvard College undergraduates...
and was a member of the college television station
Television station
A television station is a business, organisation or other such as an amateur television operator that transmits content over terrestrial television. A television transmission can be by analog television signals or, more recently, by digital television. Broadcast television systems standards are...
. In 1996, after writing a thesis
Thesis
A dissertation or thesis is a document submitted in support of candidature for an academic degree or professional qualification presenting the author's research and findings...
on fashion, film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
and concepts of identity
Identity (social science)
Identity is a term used to describe a person's conception and expression of their individuality or group affiliations . The term is used more specifically in psychology and sociology, and is given a great deal of attention in social psychology...
, she graduated cum laude from Harvard with a BA degree in English & American Literature and Language.
Magazines
After completing an internship with CNN’s Style with Elsa KlenschElsa Klensch
Elsa Klensch is an Australian-American journalist and novelist, often working in the world of fashion. She was the producer and host of Style with Elsa Klensch, CNN's weekly fashion and design television program, which ran from 1980 to 2001.-Career:...
in New York City, Szish joined GQ magazine
GQ (magazine)
GQ is a monthly men's magazine focusing on fashion, style, and culture for men, through articles on food, movies, fitness, sex, music, travel, sports, technology, and books...
as an editorial assistant and writer. She was later named a fashion writer/editor
Editing
Editing is the process of selecting and preparing written, visual, audible, and film media used to convey information through the processes of correction, condensation, organization, and other modifications performed with an intention of producing a correct, consistent, accurate, and complete...
at VOGUE
Vogue (magazine)
Vogue is a fashion and lifestyle magazine that is published monthly in 18 national and one regional edition by Condé Nast.-History:In 1892 Arthur Turnure founded Vogue as a weekly publication in the United States. When he died in 1909, Condé Montrose Nast picked up the magazine and slowly began...
, where she wrote and edited “Scoop”, a monthly trend column in addition to covering Fashion Week
Fashion Week
A fashion week is a fashion industry event, lasting approximately one week, which allows fashion designers, brands or "houses" to display their latest collections in runway shows and buyers and the media to take a look at the latest trends. Most importantly, these events let the industry know...
and writing feature articles for the magazine. In 2000, she was named Editor In Chief/Special Issues and Fashion Features Director for YM, and in 2001, she returned to GQ as Senior Editor and worked for her mentor, Art Cooper, until his retirement in 2003. Szish returned to broadcasting and worked as a freelance producer and on-camera reporter for VOGUE’s Trend Watch, a television show.
Television
In 2004, Szish was named on-air correspondent for Us WeeklyUs Weekly
Us Weekly is a celebrity gossip magazine, founded in 1977 by The New York Times Company, who sold it in 1980. It was acquired by Wenner Media in 1986. The publication covers topics ranging from celebrity relationships to the latest trends in fashion, beauty, and entertainment...
. From 2004 to 2007 Szish covered breaking celebrity news, style and pop culture and logged numerous television appearances on The Today Show
The Today Show
Today is an iconic American morning news and talk show airing every morning on NBC. Debuting on January 14, 1952, it was the first of its genre on American television and in the world. The show is also the fourth-longest running American television series...
, The Early Show
The Early Show
The Early Show is an American television morning news talk show broadcast by CBS from New York City. The program airs live from 7 to 9 a.m. Eastern Time Monday through Friday; most affiliates in the Central, Mountain, and Pacific time zones air the show on tape-delay from 7 to 9 a.m. local time. ...
, Good Morning America
Good Morning America
Good Morning America is an American morning news and talk show that is broadcast on the ABC television network; it debuted on November 3, 1975. The weekday program airs for two hours; a third hour aired between 2007 and 2008 exclusively on ABC News Now...
, The View, Entertainment Tonight
Entertainment Tonight
Entertainment Tonight is a daily tabloid television entertainment television news show that is syndicated by CBS Television Distribution throughout the United States, Canada and in many countries around the world. Linda Bell Blue is currently the program's executive producer...
, 20/20, Larry King Live
Larry King Live
Larry King Live is an American talk show hosted by Larry King on CNN from 1985 to 2010. It was CNN's most watched and longest-running program, with over one million viewers nightly....
, The O'Reilly Factor
The O'Reilly Factor
The O'Reilly Factor, originally titled The O'Reilly Report from 1996 to 1998 and often called The Factor, is an American talk show on the Fox News Channel hosted by commentator Bill O'Reilly, who often discusses current controversial political issues with guests.The program was the most watched...
, Access Hollywood
Access Hollywood
Access Hollywood is a weekday television entertainment news program covering events and celebrities in the entertainment industry. It was created by former Entertainment Tonight executive producer Jim Van Messel, and is currently directed by Robert Silverstein. In previous years, Doug Dougherty and...
, Inside Edition
Inside Edition
Inside Edition is a thirty-minute American television syndicated news program, first aired on CBS on October 9, 1988. It was originally similar to the programs Hard Copy and A Current Affair, but now more closely resembles a condensed version of breakfast television, exclusively with pre-recorded...
, MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
, VH-1, The History Channel
The History Channel
History, formerly known as The History Channel, is an American-based international satellite and cable TV channel that broadcasts a variety of reality shows and documentary programs including those of fictional and non-fictional historical content, together with speculation about the future.-...
, MSNBC
MSNBC
MSNBC is a cable news channel based in the United States available in the US, Germany , South Africa, the Middle East and Canada...
, HLN and CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
. Szish simultaneously served as a contributing anchor and host for ABC News Now
ABC News Now
ABC News Now is an American 24-hour news channel offered via digital television, broadband and streaming video at ABCNews.com and on mobile phones. It delivers breaking news, headline news each half hour, and wide range of entertainment and lifestyle programs. The channel is currently available in...
and ABC News on MTV-U, as a columnist for ABCNEWS.com and as a correspondent for E!
E!
E! Entertainment Television is an American basic cable and satellite television network, owned by NBCUniversal. It features entertainment-related programming, reality television, feature films and occasionally series and specials unrelated to the entertainment industry.E! has an audience reach of...
’s “The Daily 10” and “Fashion Police”. In 2006, Szish and her husband were tapped by The Food Network to co-host a destination spa special. In 2007, Szish was named National Correspondent for InStyle,. While at InStyle, Szish made regular appearances on The Today Show, TBS Movie and a Makeover
Movie and a Makeover
Movie and a Makeover is a television program produced in the U.S. by TBS. It is hosted by Mia Butler and is played on weekends. The official description is as follows:...
, CNN, CBS’ The Early Show, and she garnered a recurring role on “Tim Gunn's Guide to Style
Tim Gunn's Guide to Style
Tim Gunn's Guide to Style is an American reality television series, hosted by Project Runway's Tim Gunn and cohosted by model Veronica Webb in the first season, and cohosted by Gretta Monahan in subsequent seasons. It focuses on style and fashion. The first episode aired on September 6, 2007 on the...
” on BRAVO. In 2009, Szish left her full-time position at InStyle to pursue independent broadcasting, marketing
Marketing
Marketing is the process used to determine what products or services may be of interest to customers, and the strategy to use in sales, communications and business development. It generates the strategy that underlies sales techniques, business communication, and business developments...
and new media
New media
New media is a broad term in media studies that emerged in the latter part of the 20th century. For example, new media holds out a possibility of on-demand access to content any time, anywhere, on any digital device, as well as interactive user feedback, creative participation and community...
projects. She worked with Toni Senecal
Toni Senecal
Antonia "Toni" Senecal is the producer and host of Toni On! television travel series which is broadcast on NYC Life on Wednesdays at 12:30am and 9pm, Fridays at 1:30pm, and Saturdays at 11am...
and WPIX
WPIX
WPIX, channel 11, is a television station in New York City built, signed on, and owned by the Tribune Company. WPIX also serves as the flagship station of The CW Television Network...
Channel 11 as lifestyle correspondent for “Toni On New York.” She remains a regular contributor to TBS
TBS (TV channel)
TBS , stylized in the logo as tbs, is an American cable television channel owned by Time Warner that shows a variety of programming, with a focus on comedy. TBS was originally known as WTCG, a UHF terrestrial television station that broadcast from Atlanta, Georgia, during the late 1970s...
’ “Movie & A Makeover,” CNN, HLN, CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
, Fox News Channel
Fox News Channel
Fox News Channel , often called Fox News, is a cable and satellite television news channel owned by the Fox Entertainment Group, a subsidiary of News Corporation...
and Fox Business Network
Fox Business Network
Fox Business Network is an American cable news and satellite news television channel that began broadcasting on October 15, 2007. It is owned by the Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation...
.
Szish is a public speaker, addressing women and teens on life lessons and career advice. She is also involved in a variety of animal charity organizations such as Center for Animal Care and Control
Center for Animal Care and Control
Animal Care & Control of New York City , formerly known as The Center for Animal Care and Control , is the operator of New York City's municipal shelter system. It is registered as a 5013 not-for-profit organization but receives the majority of its income as grants from New York City Department of...