Broadcast icon Lisa Thomas-Laury has been telling stories her whole life – and as senior advisor, she brings over four decades of expertise to the agency.

The retired Emmy-award winning news anchor broke barriers by becoming one of the first Black TV journalists in the country. In 1978, at the age of 23, she began working at Philadelphia’s ABC affiliate, WPVI-Channel 6, as a reporter and co-anchor of Action News at Noon, becoming the youngest news anchor in the city. In 1983, Lisa began co-anchoring Action News at 5pm and became a regular fill-in at the anchor desk for longtime main anchor Jim Gardner during the 6 pm and 11 pm newscasts.

In addition to sharing the stories of people around the region, Lisa has covered numerous political elections, conventions and political figures – including Ted Kennedy, Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton, to name a few. In 1981 she reported from London on the nuptials of Prince Charles and Lady Diana.

After 22 years at WPVI, Lisa faced a significant life challenge: a battle with POEMS syndrome, a rare nerve disorder that took two years to properly diagnose. Her diagnosis prompted her to author the book “On Camera and Off,” hoping to motivate others suffering from chronic illnesses to live their best lives and helping them navigate a challenging healthcare system.

Lisa has received many honors from professional organizations recognizing her trailblazing career. She won a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Philadelphia Association of Black Journalists and was inducted into the Broadcast Pioneers Hall of Fame in 2009.

She is a graduate of Marshall University and holds four honorary doctorate degrees.