As an award-winning anchor and correspondent, Elizabeth Vargas has traveled the world covering breaking news stories, reporting in – depth investigations and conducting newsmaker interviews. During the historic Iraqi elections in December 2005, she anchored World News Tonight from Baghdad.

She anchored for both World News Tonight and 20/20 from the U.S. Gulf Coast, covering Hurricane Katrina’s devastation. Her international coverage has also sent her to Beslan, Russia, where she found stories of hope after rebels atta cked a school and killed more than 300 people, over half of them children. She also reported from the Middle East for a special on the resurrection of Jesus; and reported from Cambodia on the plight of orphans and questionable international adoption practi ces there.

Vargas has also anchored ABC News coverage of live, breaking news stories including the deaths of President Ronald Reagan and John F. Kennedy, Jr. She won an Emmy in 2000 for Outstanding Instant Coverage of a News Story for anchoring live cover age of the Elian Gonzalez case. Vargas was credited by the New York Times in November 2004 as reinvigorating the newsmagazine format with her “intellectually brave” reporting of an examination of the 1998 murder of Matthew Shepard, a young man whose murde r gained national attention as an anti – gay crime.

In July 2003, she hosted “In the Shadow of Laci Peterson”, an ABC News special that examined the disappearances of several young women in northern California and why their stories failed to attract signific ant media attention. In November 2003, she anchored “Jesus, Mary and Da Vinci”, an hour investigating many theories raised in the best – selling novel The Da Vinci Code. Her February 2001 exclusive interview with the owners of two dogs that killed a San Fran cisco woman was so revealing, prosecutors in the case say it was critical to winning convictions against the couple.

In 2002, Vargas was the narrator of the four – part, award – winning ABC News documentary series “ICU”, which provided a unique look at life i nside one of the nation’s elite pediatric cardiology intensive care units.

Vargas has anchored and reported several one – hour ABC News “Vanished” specials. Other hour – long specials include “Same – Sex Marriages,” “Surrogacy” and “It Takes a Miracle.” She has also been involved in ABC’s Children First Program, participating in a Children First Safety Special and in ABC’s March Against Drugs. Vargas was previously the anchor of World News Tonight Sunday and was also a frequent substitute anchor on Good Morning America.

Previously a correspondent for 20/20 and Primetime Thursday and a co – anchor of Primetime Monday , Vargas joined ABC News from NBC News, where she was a correspondent and anchor, primarily for Dateline NBC and the Today show. 9 9 Canal Center Plaza, Suite 100 , Alexandria, VA 22314 703.373.WWSG WWSG .com During her tenure at NB C, Vargas served as substitute co – anchor and news anchor for NBC News’ Today show and as a substitute anchor for the weekend editions of NBC Nightly News.

Vargas joined NBC News in 1993 as a correspondent for the NBC newsmagazine Now With Tom Brokaw and Ka tie Couric . Prior to joining NBC News, Vargas spent four years as a reporter and anchor for WBBM – TV, the CBS affiliate in Chicago. From 1986 to 1989, she was the lead reporter for KTVK – TV, the ABC affiliate in Phoenix. Earlier, she worked as a reporter/an chor for KTVN – TV, the CBS affiliate in Reno, Nev.

Vargas graduated with a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Missouri in Columbia, Mo., where she began her broadcasting career as a reporter/anchor for KOMU – TV.