Robin Roberts ( newscaster ) Robin René Roberts ( born November 23 , 1960 ) is an American television broadcaster . Roberts is the anchor of ABC ' s morning show " Good Morning America " . Early life . Roberts grew up in Pass Christian , Mississippi , where she played basketball and tennis , among other sports . She attended Pass Christian High School and graduated as the class of 1979 salutatorian . She is the daughter of Lucimarian Tolliver and Colonel Lawrence E . Roberts . In a 2006 presentation to the assembled student body at Abilene Christian University , Roberts credited her parents as cultivating the " three ' D ' s : Discipline , Determination , and ' De Lord ' . " She is the youngest of four , following siblings Sally - Ann , Lawrence , Jr . ( nicknamed Butch ) , and Dorothy . Her father was a pilot with the Tuskegee Airmen . Education . Roberts attended Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond , Louisiana , graduating " cum laude " in 1983 with a degree in communication . She followed in the footsteps of her older sister Sally - Ann Roberts , an anchor at the CBS affiliate WWL in New Orleans . Roberts noted on the January 13 , 2007 , edition of " Costas on the Radio " that she was offered a scholarship to play basketball at Louisiana State University but thought the school was too big and impersonal after visiting the campus . On her way back to Pass Christian from that visit , she saw a road sign for Southeastern Louisiana University , stopped to visit and decided to enroll . The only scholarship left was a tennis scholarship , and she was promised that there would be a journalism scholarship by the time she would graduate . She went on to become a standout performer on the women ' s basketball team , ending her career as the school ' s third all - time leading scorer ( 1 , 446 points ) and rebounder ( 1 , 034 ) . She is one of the only three Lady Lions to score 1 , 000 career points and grab 1 , 000 career rebounds . During her senior season , she averaged a career - high 15 . 2 points per game . On February 5 , 2011 , Southeastern hosted a ceremony to retire Roberts ' jersey 21 . Broadcasting career . Roberts began her career in 1983 as a sports anchor and reporter for WDAM - TV in Hattiesburg , Mississippi . In 1984 , she moved to WLOX - TV in Biloxi , Mississippi . In 1986 , she was sports anchor and reporter for WSMV - TV in Nashville , Tennessee . She was also a sports anchor and reporter at WAGA - TV in Atlanta , Georgia , from 1988 to 1990 . She was also a radio host for radio station V - 103 while in Atlanta . ESPN and ABC News . She joined ESPN as a sportscaster in February 1990 , where she stayed until 2005 . She became well known on " Sportscenter " for her catchphrase , " Go on with your bad self ! " Roberts began to work for ABC News , specifically as a featured reporter , for " Good Morning America " in June 1995 . In 2001 , Roberts received the Mel Greenberg Media Award , presented by the WBCA . For many years , Roberts worked at both ESPN and " Good Morning America " , contributing to both programs . During that time , she served primarily as the news anchor at " GMA " . In 2005 , Roberts was promoted to co - anchor of " Good Morning America " . In December 2009 , Roberts was joined by George Stephanopoulos as co - anchor of " GMA " after Diane Sawyer left to anchor " ABC World News " . Under their partnership , the Roberts - Stephanopoulos team led " Good Morning America " back to the top of the ratings ; the program became the number one morning show again in April 2012 , beating NBC ' s " Today " , which had held the top spot for the last 16 years . In the fall of 2005 , Roberts anchored a series of emotional reports from the Mississippi Gulf Coast after it was devastated by Hurricane Katrina ; her hometown of Pass Christian was especially hard hit , with her old high school completely reduced to rubble . On February 22 , 2009 , Roberts hosted the Academy Awards preshow for ABC , and did so again in 2011 . Roberts has earned three Emmy Award s for her sportscasting work at ESPN . In 2010 , Roberts guest starred on Disney Channel ' s " Hannah Montana " , appearing in season 4 , episode 10 , " Can You See the Real Me ? " . Miley Stewart ( Miley Cyrus ) is interviewed by Roberts after revealing she is Hannah Montana . Miley discusses her double life and relives some of her most memorable moments about her friends , her family , her dating life , and how she was able to manage two lives . On May 30 , 2010 , Roberts drove the Pace Car for the 2010 Indianapolis 500 . Roberts is inducted into the Women ' s Basketball Hall of Fame as part of the hall ' s class of 2012 for her contributions to and impact on the game of women ' s basketball through her broadcasting work and play . Personal life . In 2007 Roberts was diagnosed with an early form of breast cancer . She underwent surgery on August 3 , and by January 2008 had completed eight chemotherapy treatments , followed by 6½ weeks of radiation treatment . In 2012 she was diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome ( MDS ) . Be the Match Registry , a nonprofit organization run by the National Marrow Donor Program , experienced an 1 , 800 % spike in donors the day Roberts went public with her illness . She took a leave from " GMA " to get a bone marrow transplant , and went home in October 2012 . She returned to " GMA " on February 20 , 2013 .