Forbes on Thursday unveiled its second annual list of “50 Over 50” — and our own Hoda Kotb is highlighted among the group of 200 incredible women.
The list, expanded since its inception in 2021, aims to spotlight women over 50 who summited their careers in midlife and beyond to achieve remarkable successes and impart significant change. Hoda, 58, was nominated to be on the list by her fellow TODAY co-anchor, Savannah Guthrie.
This year’s 2022 list divided its leaders into four categories: Lifestyle, Impact, Money and Entrepreneurs. For her work as a broadcast journalist, Hoda was commemorated by Forbes for her impact on the media landscape.
“I have never, ever in my life been this happy,” Hoda remarked to Forbes. “This decade of my life is by far the best decade I have ever had.”
As Forbes notes, Hoda was a longtime NBC News and “Dateline” correspondent when she was first tapped to co-anchor TODAY with Savannah in 2018.
At the time, Hoda was 53 years old, and she became part of an anomaly. Previously, in TODAY’s 70-year history, men had always sat kitty-corner to its broadcast cameras.
“There was always the old guy anchor and the young girl anchor,” Hoda told Forbes. “You never saw us.”
In the years since becoming co-anchors on TODAY, Savannah and Hoda have been embraced as a power duo whose support for each other on and off camera seemingly knows no bounds.
Savannah, who appears alongside Hoda in an accompanying Forbes feature written by their NBC colleague, “Morning Joe” co-host Mika Brzezinski, called Hoda “profoundly inspiring to women everywhere.”
“She represents to me what a modern woman is,” Savannah added. “She is strong. She is beautiful. She is kind. She is authentic. She is devoted to her family. She maintains and cultivates her friendships. And she is an incredible professional and a wonderful journalist.”
Beyond her success on TODAY, Hoda’s other accomplishments qualified her for Forbes’ latest index.
Maggie McGrath, the editor of ForbesWomen, underlined Hoda’s success as an author and mother as well.
Since 2010, Hoda has published seven books, including her 2020 bestseller “This Just Speaks to Me,” a curation of her most loved quotes. McGrath also noted that of all of the accomplishments Hoda has achieved in midlife, the co-anchor is proudest of being a mom.
In 2017, Hoda adopted the first of her two children, whom she now co-parents with her former partner Joel Schiffman. Hoda and Schiffman adopted their daughter Haley Joy in February of that year. Two years later, in April 2019, the couple adopted Hope Catherine.
Among the women appearing alongside Hoda on Forbes’ “50 Over 50” are Bobbi Brown (Business), Kris Jenner (Lifestyle) and Theresia Gouw (Money).
Last year, Brzezinski, 55, who co-hosts MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” with Joe Scarborough and Willie Geist, paired up her “Know Your Value” initiative with Forbes for the inaugural launch of the “50 Over 50” list. She’s also authored multiple books, including 2011’s “Comeback Careers” with her sister-in-law Ginny Brzezinski.
