Andrea Koppel

Andrea Koppel is an award-winning, internationally renowned journalist with more than two decades of experience, having covered many of the biggest stories and events at home and abroad. The daughter of former Nightline anchor Ted Koppel, she set herself apart with in-depth reporting and enlightening interviews with world leaders, politicians, dissidents, and social activists. Exclusively represented by Leading Authorities speakers bureau, she uses her journalistic prowess and vast knowledge to shed light on American and international policies, the issues that impact the world at large, and the current state of culture across the continents.

From Journalist to Humanitarian. In January 2010, Koppel became the director of international communications at the American Red Cross, focusing her field experience on the realm of global humanitarian care. In that role, she led the organization’s communications strategy for the Haiti Assistance Program following the devastating earthquake. She also led strategic communications and media relations for M+R Strategic Services, a cause-oriented public affairs firm. Koppel is currently the vice president of global engagement and policy at Mercy Corps, a global organization that works to alleviate poverty in some of the world’s most fragile states.

A Dedicated Scoop. For 14 years Andrea Koppel worked as a correspondent for CNN, reporting from diverse posts—from Africa to China, and covering three secretaries of state and two presidents as the network’s Capitol Hill correspondent. Koppel reported extensively on Arab-Israeli peace talks between 1998-2006, including the Wye River, Shepherdstown, and Camp David II negotiations. In October 2000, Koppel was among a small group of journalists invited to accompany then-Secretary of State Madeleine Albright on her historic visit to North Korea. Following the 9/11 attacks, Koppel joined then-Secretary of State Colin Powell during his diplomatic mission to Pakistan and Afghanistan. In December 2003, she was the first to secure an exclusive interview with Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi, during which he announced that his country would end its weapons program. She spent 10 days in Libya—much of that time as the only U.S. journalist allowed in the country.

Asian Affairs. Koppel joined CNN in 1993 as its Tokyo correspondent and was quickly promoted to Beijing bureau chief. As a mandarin-Chinese speaking journalist, Koppel was equipped to integrate within and provide rare insight into this complex country and its culture. Over several years she reported from Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea, and more than half of China’s provinces and autonomous regions. She covered a wide variety of economic, social, and political stories and secured numerous exclusive interviews with world leaders, such as China’s former President Jiang Zemin before the handover of Hong Kong in 1997 and President Lee Teng-hui after he became Taiwan’s first democratically elected president.

Koppel won a prestigious Gracie award for her documentary Daughters of the Revolution, which dealt with Chinese women in the wake of the communist revolution. Her reporting has also won some of American journalism’s highest honors, including Emmy, DuPont, and Peabody Awards.