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Renee Chenault-Fattah

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This is an old revision of this page, as edited by PDGPA (talk | contribs) at 21:25, 17 August 2023 (Changing short description from "American attorney, former television news anchor, and social justice activist" to "American television news anchor, attorney and social justice activist"). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Renee Chenault-Fattah
Renee Chenault-Fattah in March 2007
Born
Renée Yvette Chenault[1]

(1957-10-12) October 12, 1957 (age 67)
Other namesRenee Y. Chenault[2]
EducationUniversity of Missouri
University of Pennsylvania Law School
Johns Hopkins University
Occupation(s)NBC 10 (Philadelphia, PA) News Anchor
TitleNBC 10 News Anchor
SpouseChaka Fattah
ChildrenCameron Chenault
Chandler Fattah

Renee Chenault-Fattah (born October 12, 1957) is an American journalist and former co-anchor of the WCAU NBC 10 News at 4 and 6 p.m. on weeknights in Philadelphia.[3] She is married to former U.S. Congressman Chaka Fattah of the 2nd Congressional District of Pennsylvania.

Biography

Early life and education

Chenault-Fattah majored in political science at Johns Hopkins University, and went on to earn her J.D. at the University of Pennsylvania Law School. She worked at Hughes Hubbard & Reed, a law firm in New York, and then clerked for Judge Damon Keith of the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals. She then began her media career, earning a master's degree in journalism at the University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri.

Career

Chenault-Fattah joined WCAU, then the Philadelphia CBS TV affiliate, in September 1991, and served as an anchor and a reporter. After a few years anchoring the noon broadcast with Tim Lake, she was promoted to the 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. news in March 1995. By then, WCAU had become the NBC affiliate in Philadelphia. In 2003, Lake joined Chenault as co-anchor at 4 p.m., 6 p.m., and 11 p.m., after she had spent 8 years co-anchoring newscasts at 6 and 11, first with Ken Matz and then with Larry Mendte.

The criminal case involving her husband, Congressman Chaka Fattah, made it increasingly difficult for Chenault-Fattah to continue as an anchor, and she went on leave for seven months following his indictment. Ultimately, she left the station on February 24, 2016.[4] Although she was mentioned in a business dealing of her husband's, Chenault-Fattah was never charged with anything in connection with the activities that ultimately led to his conviction.

Chenault-Fattah serves on the board of trustees of Johns Hopkins University.[5]

After serving for several years on its board of directors, Chenault-Fattah was named Executive Director of Philadelphia Lawyers for Social Equity, a non-profit dedicated to assisting low-income Philadelphians in overcoming hurdles caused by past criminal records.[6]

Honors and awards

Chenault-Fattah was named to the PoliticsPA list of "Sy Snyder's Power 50" list of influential individuals in Pennsylvania politics in 2002.[7] She was also named to the PoliticsPA list of "Pennsylvania's Most Politically Powerful Women"[8]

The Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia inducted Chenault-Fattah into their Hall of Fame in 2009.[citation needed]

Personal life

Chenault-Fattah is the third wife of Pennsylvania politician Chaka Fattah, and they have a daughter together named Chandler Fattah. Two and a half years prior to marrying Fattah, Chenault-Fattah had a daughter named Cameron Chenault through artificial insemination. She is stepmother to Frances ("Fran") Fattah, and Chaka Fattah Jr., known as "Chip" (31 years old in March 2015).[9][10]

References

  1. ^ "WEDDINGS - Renée Chenault, Chaka Fattah". The New York Times. 2001-04-08. Retrieved 2016-06-21.
  2. ^ Renee Y. Chenault. "Renee Y. Chenault Lawyer Profile on". Martindale.com. Retrieved 2016-06-21.
  3. ^ "Renee Chenault-Fattah out at NBC10".
  4. ^ "NBC10 anchor Renee Chenault-Fattah departs station months after husband's indictment". bizjournals.com. 2016-02-24. Retrieved 2016-06-21.
  5. ^ "Trustees".
  6. ^ "Staff & Board – Philadelphia Lawyers for Social Equity".
  7. ^ "Sy Snyder's Power 50". PoliticsPA. The Publius Group. 2002. Archived from the original on April 21, 2002.
  8. ^ "Pennsylvania's Most Politically Powerful Women". Pennsylvania Report. Capital Growth, Inc. 2001. Archived from the original on February 9, 2004.
  9. ^ Maryclaire Dale (March 22, 2015). "US Rep's son says he's 'collateral damage' in bid to get dad". Associated Press. Retrieved March 23, 2015. Chip Fattah – reed-thin and always smiling – can talk a blue streak. But he paused, atypically, when asked how long he had lived with his father, a 10-term Philadelphia Democrat, before his parents divorced. His sister, Fran, is a lawyer running for city judge. Fattah Sr., 58, also has two young daughters with his third wife, local TV anchor Renee Chenault-Fattah.
  10. ^ "Party politics: Fattah, Chenault exchange vows With help from their children, the congressman and the news anchor held a big church wedding". philly-archives. 2001-04-08. Retrieved 2016-06-21. "Fattah's daughter, Frances, a second-year law student, was maid of honor; his son, Chaka "Chip" Jr., a college freshman, was best man. The bride's daughter, 2+12-year-old Cameron Chenault, balked at walking down the aisle with the other five flower girls, so she had to be carried by her grandfather, Arthur Chenault."