Monica Pearson, WSB-TV

Monica Pearson retired on July 25, 2012 after anchoring thirty seven years on WSB-TV. She joined the Channel 2 Action News staff in August, 1975 as Atlanta's first woman and first minority to anchor the 6 p.m. news and announced in Feb. 2012 that she would retire on July 25, 2012. Monica ended a run of more than 30 years as the Channel 2 Action News Nightbeat anchor in May 2011 when WSB-TV launched its 4 o'clock newscast. She continues to report for Channel 2 Action News. The University of Louisville graduate was a reporter with The Louisville Times for 5 years. In 1969 she participated in the Summer Program for Minority Groups, later called The Michelle Clark Fellowship, at the Graduate School of Journalism, Columbia University, New York. She worked in public relations for Brown-Forman Distillers before she joined WHAS-TV in Louisville, as a reporter and anchor for 3 years. She is a native of Louisville, Ky, growing up in what is known as Smoketown and graduating from an all girls Catholic High School, Presentation Academy, where she has established a scholarship in her name. Monica is a member of various professional organizations, which include: The society of Professional Journalists, Sigma Delta Chi; The National Association of Black Journalists; The Atlanta Association of Black Journalists; The Atlanta Junior League, American Women in Radio and Television, The Atlanta Press Club, NATAS, National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences,SAG, Screen Actors Guild and AFTRA, American Federation of Television, Radio Artists. Monica was the first black person and the second woman to serve as Chairman of the Metropolitan United Way, in 1988. In 1993 Lieutenant Governor Pierre Howard paid tribute at a surprise luncheon- "Georgia Says Thanks, Monica"-with tributes from Families First, Northwest Georgia Girl Scouts, and Exodus. The Georgia Association of Broadcasters named Monica Kaufman "1992 Citizen-Broadcaster of the Year." Monica is a member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority. She is a member of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church and attends Gospel Tabernacle Church, where her husband is the senior elder.She was coordinator of the senior citizens program at Lourdes church, called "Young at Heart and Filled with Spirit." She was inducted into the NATAS Silver Circle and in 2007 received the Board of Governors Award from the Southeastern Chapter of the National Academy of Arts and Sciences. She also has received an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Atlanta University (now Clark Atlanta University) in 1986 and another from Oglethorpe University in 2007. In 2013, Monica received an Honory Doctorate of Public Service from Young Harris College. She's also now a columnist for Southern Seasons magazine and has expanded into radio by hosting a program on KISS 104.1, Atlanta's best R&B having started in January 2014. Monica is married to John E. Pearson, Sr. She has a daughter, Claire Patrice, born in 1980 and a stepson, John E. Pearson, II, born in 1985.