Lauren Sánchez facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lauren Sánchez
Sánchez in 2023
Born	Lauren Wendy Sánchez (1969-12-19) December 19, 1969 (age 55) Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S.
Occupation	News anchor media personality
Years active	1997–present
Spouse(s)	Patrick Whitesell ​ ​ (m. 2005; div. 2019)​
Partner(s)	Jeff Bezos (2018–present; engaged)
Children	3

Lauren Wendy Sánchez (born December 19, 1969) is an American journalist, author and philanthropist who gained fame as an entertainment reporter and news anchor. She is a licensed pilot and founder of Black Ops Aviation. In 2023, she became engaged to Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.

She has been a guest host on The View, co-host on KTTV Fox 11's Good Day L.A. and anchor on the Fox 11 News at Ten, and anchor and special correspondent on Extra. Sánchez has also been a regular contributor on shows including Larry King Live, The Joy Behar Show and Showbiz Tonight.

Sánchez serves as the vice chair of the Bezos Earth Fund, and her philanthropy focuses on fighting climate change, protecting nature, and supporting low income and homeless families and early childhood education. In 2024, Sánchez released her debut children's book, The Fly Who Flew to Space, which became a New York Times bestseller.

Career

Sánchez began her career as a desk assistant at KCOP-TV in Los Angeles. She also held positions as an anchor and reporter at KTVK-TV in Phoenix before joining the syndicated entertainment show Extra as a reporter. From there, Sánchez moved to Fox Sports Net, where she earned an Emmy nomination as anchor and correspondent for the sports magazine Going Deep, served as an anchor for Fox Sports News Primetime.

In 1999, Sánchez returned to KCOP-TV to anchor UPN News 13, where her team won an Emmy Award. In 1999. Sánchez was co-host on KTTV Fox 11's Good Day LA and anchor on the Fox 11 News at Ten. She was the runner-up in the nationwide hosting competition during season 2 of The View in February 2000. The position was ultimately given to Lisa Ling. In 2005, Sánchez became the original host of FOX's popular dancing competition So You Think You Can Dance. Sánchez left the show after one season to have her second child. In 2009, Sánchez returned to Extra as weekend anchor and special correspondent. Sánchez continues to occasionally work on Good Day LA, Extra and other TV shows.

Sánchez was featured in People magazine's "50 Most Beautiful" issue in 2010.

In 2016, after learning to fly at age 40 and getting her pilot's license, she founded Black Ops Aviation, the first female-owned aerial film and production company. Sánchez focuses on film and television projects which allow her to use her skills as a licensed pilot. In 2024, she received the Elling Halvorson Vertical Flight Hall of Fame Award at the Annual Living Legends of Aviation Awards for her expertise as a helicopter pilot and aviation businesswoman. She anticipated flying to space in early 2024 with an all-female crew on board a New Shepard rocket, but as of January 2025^[update], that has not happened.

In 2024, Sanchez released her first children's book, The Fly Who Flew to Space, a story about a fly named Flynn who doesn't do well in school but is curious about life and accidentally gets stuck in the cockpit of a rocket that heads into space. The story is inspired by Sanchez' life and her struggles with dyslexia. It debuted on the New York Times Bestseller list on September 29, 2024.

Philanthropy

Sánchez is the vice-chairperson of Bezos Earth Fund. In March 2024, she pledged to donate $60 million to create centers that would focus on biomanufacturing and climate change. She is also the part of Bezos' Courage and Civility Award which grants awards to individuals serving the community.

Personal life

Lauren Wendy Sánchez was born December 19, 1969 to a second-generation Mexican-American family in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Sánchez was unaware she was living with dyslexia, until she was in college, when a professor noticed and offered to help her get diagnosed. Sánchez's experience with dyslexia inspired her to advocate for educational systems that support all types of learning, and she has been a public supporter of the International Dyslexia Association.

Sánchez's son, Nikko, was born in February 2001. His father is former National Football League tight end Tony Gonzalez.

In August 2005, she married Patrick Whitesell, a Hollywood agent and founding partner of Endeavor talent agency. Their son, Evan, was born in 2006, and their daughter, Ella, was born in 2008.

On May 22, 2023, Sánchez and businessman and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos became engaged.

Filmography

Sánchez has also made cameo appearances in films and television series, including in the following:

Film

Television