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Sally-Ann Roberts Biography
Sally-Ann Roberts is an American former anchor for WWL-TV in New Orleans, Louisiana born on February 14, 1953 . She is also an actress known for Runaway Jury (2003), Dead Man Walking (1995) and Storyville (1992).
Roberts attended The University of Southern Mississippi where she graduated in 1974.
Sally-Ann Roberts Age
Roberts was born on February 14, 1953 in Chandler, Arizona. She is 66 years old as of 2019.
Sally-Ann Roberts Family
Roberts was born to Lucimarian (née Tolliver) and Colonel Lawrence E. Roberts. She has four siblings Lawrence, Jr. (nicknamed Butch), Dorothy, and Robin Roberts.
Sally-Ann Roberts PhotoSally-Ann Roberts Sister
Her youngest sister Robin is a broadcaster and anchor of ABC’s Good Morning America. Sally and Robin helped bring national awareness to the bone marrow donor shortage after Sally-Ann donated her own marrow to help Robin fight a rare blood disorder.
Robin is an Award-winning anchor who won the Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Journalism in 2014. She was also inducted into the Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame as part of the class of 2016.
She is also the 2018 Radio Television Digital News Foundation’s Lifetime Achievement Award recipient.She anchored the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, the American television star, at St. George’s Chapel in London on May 19, 2018.
Sally-Ann Roberts(left) and her sister Robin (right)Sally-Ann Roberts Husband
From 1977 to 2002, Roberts was married to Willie Craft. Roberts later got married to Ron Nabonne.
Sally-Ann Roberts Son
Roberts has a son Jeremiah Craft who is an actor, artist and music producer. Sally introduced Craft to the Anthony Bean Community Theater before adolescence. Since then, he decided to devote his life to the arts, and took no interest in sports as his friends did. Craft started his career in acting in his first year of college, appearing on Law and Order: SVU. He appeared on the episode entitled “Amaro’s One-Eighty” in a speaking role (Teen 2) alongside Mariska Hargitay and Danny Pino.
Sally-Ann Roberts Career
She served as an anchorwoman for WWL-TV in New Orleans, Louisiana. She also co-anchored the Eyewitness Morning News with Eric Paulsen.
Roberts began her time at WWL in 1977 when she was a city hall reporter. She hosted the Saturday morning teen talk show Our Generation, highlighting positive work done by local high school students. She also produced Quiet Heroes, a segment providing an in-depth look at volunteer work around the community.
Her list of honours includes a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Louisiana Association of Broadcasters and the Press Club of New Orleans, an Edward R. Murrow Award for late-breaking news, and also a NAACP National Health Committee Unsung Hero Award.
Roberts retired from her television career on February 28 2018. She retired after a tenure of 40 years with Tegna’s CBS affiliate WWL New Orleans. She has also appeared in several movies and television series. Sally also gives motivational speeches around the United States.
Sally-Ann Roberts Books
Sally has also authored several books;
- Your Power Is On! A Little Book of Hope – 2013
- Going Live: An Anchorwoman Reports Good News -1998
- Angelvision – 2002
Sally-Ann Roberts Twitter
Sally-Ann Roberts Instagram
Sally-Ann Roberts Interview
Published:
Interviewer: What challenges do traditional media, such as TV, face today with the rise of social media?
Sally-Ann Roberts: The reality is that we have to jump on board and keep up with the technology.
People are getting their news in a different way now, such as Twitter and Facebook. We are inviting people to be included; we want them to send in their photos, videos and stories. We are living in the 21st century and we need to embrace it or become obsolete.
Interviewer: What do you think makes reporting news in New Orleans different than anywhere else?
Sally-Ann Roberts: There’s so much news here – due to our geographical location and our rich culture. New Orleans is a small town, but a big city at the same time. The friendliness, the outgoing people and the community.
But I don’t wear rose-colored glasses. I know the problems with violence. I have friends who have lost their children to violence. There is tremendous sadness juxtaposed with the joy of living here.
But, I believe better days are ahead. People are moving here, and it’s going to make New Orleans a boomtown – the city is ripe for growth.
Interviewer: What community groups are you involved in?
Sally-Ann Roberts: I like to call what I do M&M: Mentoring and Marrow. I’m a mentor at Success Preparatory Academy, and on the board for Each One Save One.
And I’m working with Perfect Match.
Interviewer: What is the test for getting on the bone marrow transplant registry?
Sally-Ann Roberts: Just a cheek swab.
Interviewer: How are bone marrow transplants done?
Sally-Ann Roberts: There are two ways to help; it depends on the disease.
For 70 percent of the cases, the process is much like kidney dialysis: a needle in each arm attached to circulation machines to get the stem cells. You have to lay still for four hours, which can be uncomfortable, but not painful.
The second way – which has to be done 30 percent of the time – is that the bone marrow or stem cells have to be obtained via the hip by a needle while you’re under general anesthesia. There is some pain, but it depends on the person. I’ve interviewed a person who didn’t feel anything after the process, while another said it felt like he had been kicked by a mule. But at no time did anyone say that the discomfort they experienced wasn’t worth it, as you’re giving someone a new lease on life.
Interviewer: What does having a bone marrow transplant do for a person with cancer?
Sally-Ann Roberts: I’ve spoken to a woman who received a bone marrow transplant via her brother 12 years ago – and she’s cancer-free. Before the transplant, she had breast cancer and three types of lymphoma and was in and out of hospitals.
Part of your awareness campaign is to get people – particularly minorities – to be tested for the national registry. Bone marrow for stem cells needs to be the same as that person’s genetic makeup for it to work. There are about 10 million donors on the national bone marrow registry, but only seven percent of them are African-American. The registry also needs Asians and Native Americans.
Most people will not find a match with a family member – only 30 percent do, while 70 percent need to turn to the registry.
Interviewer: What story have you worked on – other than Perfect Match and bone marrow registry awareness – that has been most important to you?
Sally-Ann Roberts: It was a feature story from 20 years ago: A call came in on the radio about police activity, and when we got there I saw a policeman fighting back tears. There were children in the house that hadn’t been cared for, and the neighbors had been calling the police about the neglect. The children were wearing clothes that were dirty and didn’t fit; the house reeked of urine. And yet, the only time the children cried was when they were separated from their mother.
Out of that came the series “Who’s Watching the Children.” It also stirred in me a need to adopt, as I had wanted to adopt since I was younger. It was always in the back of my mind, so Willie and I adopted our son, who’s now studying Shakespeare – and his dad is cheering him on from above!
True confession: As much as I like watching shows like “Chopped” and I live in a city that is a top food destination, I cannot cook. Fortunately, I’m married to a man who can and does.
Source: www.myneworleans.com
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